Have you ever thought what could happen if someone stole your identity? You’ll be shocked to know that identify theft is the fastest growing crime in U.S today! The statistics on identity theft show us that millions of people are affected by this crime, while millions of dollars are lost each year. In 2004, over 9.9 million Americans were victims of identity theft scams and close to $5 billion were lost.
I hope that this article will help you so that you do not become a victim of this terrible crime. However, it’s imperative that you follow these 4 simple ways to combat this crime.
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Destroy documents containing personal information. Make sure you shred all documents you receive that have your personal information mentioned such as credit card receipts and any promotional offers. This is ‘the’ most important tip I can give you, as this alone can offer you tremendous protection against identity theft.
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Do not give out personal information to anyone over the phone, internet or mail. If you receive any suspicious sounding calls from people who claim to be from the government, bank etc; do not share your personal information with them, ever!
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Keep tab of your credit reports. Make it a point to check your credit history and reports from all three major credit bureaus at least once a year. Check to ensure that everything is precise and if you find any discrepancy, dispute it immediately in order to protect yourself against identity theft .
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Do not give out your Social Security Number. It’s important that you do not give out your SS number unless absolutely necessary. It is alright to give out your SS number to your employer, bank, and doctor for taxation and identification. However, always question the motive of anyone who asks for it and be cautious.