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Minimize Your Risk of Identity Theft

The Federal Trade Commission reported that identity theft was the top consumer complaint for 2009. Overall, of the 1.3 million complaints the agency received last year, 21 percent were for identity theft. Credit card fraud was the top complaint when it comes to identity theft, followed by fraud related to government benefits, utilities, phones and loans.

Many people often don't find out that they're victims of identity theft until they go to make a major purchase, like a house or a car. By managing your personal information carefully, you can help guard against identity theft.

Below are some helpful tips to minimize your risk of Identity Theft:

  • Before you disclose any personal identifying information, find out how it will be used and whether it will be shared with others.
  • Shred all sensitive information like your receipts, credit card offers, bank statements, and returned checks.
  • Make sure your credit reports are accurate and sign up for a credit monitoring service to be alerted of any changes in your credit file.
  • Do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport with you unless needed.
  • When you order new checks, do not have them sent to your home. Pick them up at the bank instead.
  • Do not give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or know who you're dealing with. Identity thieves may pose as representatives of bank or even governmental agencies to get you to disclose personal identifying information. Any legitimate organizations with which you do business have all the information they need and will not ask for it.
  • Follow your billing cycles. A missing credit card bill could mean someone changed your billing address.
  • File away a list of all your account numbers, with expiration dates and telephone numbers. If your wallet is stolen, you will be able to quickly alert your creditors.
  • When creating passwords or PIN numbers, use a random mix of letters and numbers. Do not use information that may be easily discovered by others.
  • Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that the records are kept in a secure location.

There are several warning signs that may signal identity theft. If any of these happen, get a copy of our credit report and review it for errors:

  • You apply for a new credit card and are declined for no apparent reason (assuming that you had every reason to believe you'd be accepted.)
  • You receive a credit card you did not apply for
  • Creditors or debt collectors contact you for payment about merchandise or services you didn't purchase.

Checking your report on a regular basis can help you catch mistakes and fraud before they seriously hurt your personal finances. You are entitle to a free copy of your credit report, from each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies ? Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion, once every 12 months.

The Complete System to Repair Your Credit and Boost Your Credit Score will teach you how to easily spot negative and fraudulent activity on your credit report. Download Today!