Ways to Reduce the Risk of Identity Theft

While identity theft may not be totally preventable, there a few things that you can do to lower your chances of becoming a victim to this crime. Here are some of the ways that you can reduce your risk of identity theft.

Use a paper shredder. So many times I've seen people just rip up mail and throw it into the trashcan. A paper shredder will shred the paper so finely that an identity thief will not be able to identify what is on those papers. The best kind of paper shredder to get would be a cross cut shredder because it cuts paper both horizontally and vertically so that it looks like confetti. Whenever you get any kind of mail, even magazines or catalogs, you should remove your name and address and shred it in a paper shredder. You can also shred outdated credit cards or an old photo id in most paper shredders.

Do not carry a lot of credit cards with you when you go out. Try to carry only the cards you think you will need for that day. If your wallet gets lost or stolen, then it won't be as big of a hassle to cancel one or two cards as it would be to cancel six or seven.

If someone calls you on the phone or sends you an email and asks for any personal information and you are not familiar with the company or business, do not give out any information to them. There are scammers out there who will call you to claim a prize or say that they would like to talk to you about your credit card or loans and then they will ask for your important information. Do not give it to them. Never give out your social security number to anyone. If you did not enter any sweepstakes, then you most likely did not win any prizes.

Write a list of all your credit cards and the phone numbers on the back of the card, so that you know what cards you have. A friend of mine had ten credit cards and then she lost her wallet. She said that she couldn't even remember what cards she had in the wallet. She was panicking. I told her next time make sure you write a list of the cards you have and then write the phone numbers to each card so that you can call them and tell them that you lost the cards.

If your credit or debit cards get lost or stolen, immediately call the credit or debit card company and inform them. This way they can put a stop on your old card so that it can't be used and then issue you a new one with a new a new credit card number.

Cut up or shred your outdated credit cards. Like I said before, a paper shredder is a good thing to have to prevent identity theft. You can easily put the card through the shredder and shred it. You could also get a sharp scissor and cut the card up yourself into small pieces that cannot be recognized.

If you have PIN numbers for your debit card or credit card, make sure that you do not carry them with you. Keep them in a safe place or try your best to memorize them. Try to think of a PIN number that is hard for someone else to figure out but easy for you to remember.

Check your credit reports and any billing statements that you get. Make sure that there are no charges that you did not make on your reports.

Throw away or shred store receipts with your credit or debit card information on them. Do not just ball them up and throw them on the ground or in a public trashcan.

Put your most personal information, like your birth certificate, financial information and social security card, in a safe place. It would be a good idea to buy a safe or a lock box that you can put this information in. Keep the box locked so that no one can get into it.

If you shop or pay your bills online, make sure the website is secure. Usually there will be a little symbol somewhere on the website that says that the site is secure. Only make purchases from places online that you trust and that look secure.

Use anti spyware software on your computer. Make sure you take steps to prevent hackers from getting into your computer and stealing your personal information. One of these steps is installing anti spyware onto your computer.