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What You Need To Know To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft |
By:
Paul Wilcox |
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What You Need To Know To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
Paul Wilcox
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.
Obtain You 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
Cash is valuable, right? Well, so is your drivers license, Social Security card and laptop computer. Think of them as valuable as cash " they certainly are to a thief! Keep physical contact on them at all times when you are outside your home. Dont leave them unsupervised of sitting on the seats in a locked car even for a few minutes.
Dont Get Hooked By Phishing Emails
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.
Concerned about identity theft and other internet threats? Find out how to set up solid http://www.securitymanor.com/ internet security so you don't get taken on the net. Get more tips and safety information at http://www.securitymanor.com
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Article Source: http://www.PopularArticles.com/article151156.html |
Article: What You Need To Know To Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
Author: Paul Wilcox
Total Views: 34
Word Count: 436
Category:
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Legal / Identity Theft
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