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Inside Privacy & Security
Privacy Policy | Identity Theft Protection | What To Do If Your Identity Is Stolen | Protecting Your Electronic Information | Phishing
Identity Theft Protection
Manage Your
Mailbox
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Do not leave
bill payment envelopes clipped to your mailbox or inside with the
flag up; criminals may steal your mail and change your address.
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Know your
billing cycles, and watch for any missing mail. Follow up with
creditors if bills or new cards do not arrive on time. An identity
thief may have filed a change of address request in your name with
the creditor or the post office.
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Carefully
review your monthly accounts, credit card statements and utility
bills (including cellular telephone bills) for unauthorized charges
as soon as you receive them. If you suspect unauthorized use,
contact the provider's customer service and fraud departments
immediately. |
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When you order
new checks, ask when you can expect delivery. If your mailbox is not
secure, then ask to pick up the checks instead of having them
delivered to your home.
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Although many
consumers appreciate the convenience and customer service of general
direct mail, some prefer not to receive offers of pre-approved
financing or credit. To "opt out" of receiving such offers, call
(888) 5 OPT OUT sponsored by the credit bureaus.
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The Direct
Marketing Association offers services to help reduce the number of
mail and telephone solicitations. To join their mail preference
service, mail your name, home address and signature to: Mail
Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, P. O. Box 9008,
Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008. |
Check Your Purse
or Wallet
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your purse or wallet unattended - even for a minute.
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Protect your
PINs (don't carry them in your wallet!) and passwords; use a
10-digit combination of letters and numbers for your passwords and
change them periodically.
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Carry only
personal identification and credit cards you actually need in your
purse or wallet. If your I.D. or credit cards are lost or stolen,
notify the creditors immediately, and ask the credit bureaus to
place a "fraud alert" in your file.
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Keep a list of
all your credit cards and bank accounts along with their account
numbers, expiration dates and credit limits, as well as the
telephone numbers of customer service and fraud departments. Store
this list in a safe place.
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If your state
uses your Social Security number as your driver's license number,
ask to substitute another number. |
Keep Your Personal
Numbers Safe and Secure
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When creating
passwords and PINs (personal identification numbers) do not use any
part of your Social Security number, birth date, middle name, wife's
name, child's name, pet's name, mother's maiden name, address,
consecutive numbers, or anything that a thief could easily deduce or
discover. |
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Ask businesses
to substitute a secret alpha-numeric code as a password instead of
your mother's maiden name.
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Shield the
keypad when using ATMs or when placing calling card calls.
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Memorize your
passwords and PINs; never keep them in your wallet, purse, Rolodex
or electronic organizer.
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Get your
Social Security number out of circulation and release it only when
necessary -- for example, on tax forms and employment records, or
for banking, stock and property transactions.
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Do not have
your Social Security number printed on your checks, and do not allow
merchants to write your Social Security number on your checks. If a
business requests your Social Security number, ask to use an
alternate number.
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Never give
your Social Security number, account numbers or personal credit
information to anyone who calls you. |
Bank, Shop and
Spend Wisely
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Store personal
information in a safe place and shred or tear up documents you don't
need. Destroy charge receipts, copies of credit applications,
insurance forms, bank checks and statements, expired charge cards
and credit offers you get in the mail before you put them out in the
trash. |
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Cancel your
unused credit cards so that their account numbers will not appear on
your credit report.
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When you fill
out a loan or credit application, be sure that the business either
shreds these applications or stores them in locked files.
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Tear up
receipts, bank statements and unused pre-approved credit card offers
and convenience checks before throwing them away.
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When possible,
watch your credit card as the merchant completes the transaction.
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Use credit
cards that have your photo and signature on the front.
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Sign your
credit cards immediately upon receipt.
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Carefully
consider what information you want placed in the residence telephone
book and ask yourself what it reveals about you.
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Keep track of
credit card, debit card and ATM receipts. Never throw them in a
public trash container. Tear them up or shred them at home when you
no longer need them.
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Ask businesses
what their privacy policies are and how they will use your
information: Can you choose to keep it confidential? Do they
restrict access to data?
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Choose to do
business with companies you know are reputable, particularly online.
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When
conducting business online, use a secure browser that encrypts or
scrambles purchase information and make sure your browser's padlock
or key icon is active.
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Don't open
e-mail from unknown sources. Use virus detection software. |
Review Your
Information
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Order a copy
of your credit report from the three credit reporting agencies every
year and make sure all the information is correct, especially your
name, address, and Social Security number. Look for indications of
fraud, such as unauthorized applications, unfamiliar credit
accounts, credit inquiries and defaults and delinquencies that you
did not cause.
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Check your
Social Security Earnings and Benefits statement once each year to
make sure that no one else is using your Social Security number for
employment. |
Below are two excellent links to web sites that can
help you learn additional ways to protect yourself as a consumer from
identity theft:
Consumer Sentinel Web Site:
http://www.consumer.gov/sentinel
Federal Trade Commission Web Site:
http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/
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Equal Housing Lender |