What You Need To Know To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

Would you ever consider driving in rush hour with a blindfold on? If you do I'd like to know where you're driving please. Protecting yourself from identity theft is equally as important. Don't think just because you're educated or poor that it couldn't happen to you. It happens to people from all walks of life. According to The President's Identity Theft Task Force, there can be as many as 10 million victims of identity theft yearly. You can however, learn to protect yourself by using common sense and it won't cost you a thing.

Know Your Credit Report

Obtaining your annual credit report is probably one of the best things that you can do for yourself. You can obtain these free credit reports yearly from Equifax, Transunion or Experian. You can also go on line to AnnualCreditReport.com. This will enable you to see if there are any disputable transactions your accounts may have or if a loan has been taken out in your name. The earlier you can find a discrepancy, the earlier you can try to fix it.

Keeping track of your monthly credit card or bank statements is a must for determining any questionable entries.

Keep Alert

Your driver's license, Social Security card and laptop are as valuable as any cash you might have to someone looking for information. Keep them with you at all times when you are not at home. Leaving them unattended even in a locked car is not an option.

Emails Seeking Information

Suppose you get an email from your banks security department saying there was a problem and they need some information from you, including your account number and passwords. That is not your bank emailing you " thats a phishing email, hoping youll bite at the fake email which leads you to a perfect mimic of a legitimate bank or online services website. Not responding to these emails is a big step to protect yourself from identity theft. And, if you were like me and did to an eBay mimic email (ulp), contact eBay right away to freeze your account and get your password changed. Thankfully, nothing happened to me except learning a valuable lesson on how to protect myself from identity theft.

About the Author

Worried about identity theft and other types of internet threats? Learn how to set up solid internet security so you don't get attacked on the net. Get more helpful tips and information at http://www.securitymanor.com

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