Protecting your Identity
By Tonimaree Johnson
Today with all of the online transactions, phone transactions, and ATM transactions, it is becoming easier for sly thieves to get at personal information.
Identity Theft is costly for not the criminal, but the victim. Until proven innocent unfortunately, creditors see the victim as the one who has trespassed the law. Due to no fault of your own, you have to prove your innocence for a crime another committed.
Applying for a new social security card or number, canceling credit cards, bank accounts, and so on is time consuming. Add to that the debt that may have been accumulated to your accounts by the offenders. Not to mention the damage to your reputation, credit history, and personal health due to the stress of it all.
The victim is the one who has to press charges and take offenders to court, if they are caught. All of this time and expense fall on the victim. Your social security number, credit cards, and checkbooks all take extensive time to restore, once they have been violated. Once your credit has been tarnished, it is a long road to recovery.
Despite all of this, small steps toward protecting your Identity and personal information can be both simple and inexpensive. Here are some tips to think about which require a little effort. But will go a long way in keeping your privacy protected.
Unsubscribe from all Lists
Mailing lists distribute your personal information through several hands before the media makes it way to your door. Requesting removal from postal mailing list is a simple task. Usually requiring only a phone call or, in the case of email, a reply. To remove yourself from credit card solicitations, contact Experian.com, TransUnion.com, and Equifax.com to request removal. These credit bureaus make huge profits from sharing information.
Additionally, consider requesting removal from telephone listings as well. When those solicitors call, immediately request removal from their phone listings before they begin their sales pitch. There are also national agencies that can assist you with this. Contact us for details….
Junk mail from catalog companies and such can also be stopped. Simply contact the publisher to be removed from the mailing lists individually.
Remember Your Privacy is Your Business
Keep your personal information to yourself. Do not share pin numbers, checkbooks, even private phone numbers with everyone. Close family members are not always as careful as they should be with another's information. If you let a relative use your checkbook, be sure to get all the materials, receipts, and stubs, back from them. If you lend a pin in an emergency, make sure you change that pin as soon as possible. Many times, it is someone that you know or a relative knows that has taken personal identification that was left lying out in the open.
Shred all old outdated credit cards, bank statements, not to mention tax return materials, or paycheck stubs, and even the labels on magazines.
Keep a separate post office box for your mail if you live in an apartment, dormitory, with roommates, or place where there is no private mailbox.
Internet identity theft is also something to be aware of. Do not share your password, in case of emergency; be sure to change your password as soon as you can. Update passwords frequently, even most secure sites have now added measures to validate their members with pin numbers or additional code checks.
If you shop online, attach your online credit cards to a separate bank account from your primary payroll and savings account.
Make sure you log completely out of online shopping sites or other sites where you have your personal information listed.
If you use a public computer, this is especially prudent. Checking the cache memory and deleting it is also a step that may thwart a predator's plans.
If you print out files of tax returns or other information, be sure to delete any files temporarily stored.
Remember it is the little foxes that spoil the vine. Taking the time to make small changes can obstruct a predator from spoiling your hard-earned credit history.
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Tonimaree Johnson, BS-CS/MIS/MBA
Experienced professional career of over 15 years with Fortune 100 companies as Business Analyst, Copy Editor, Writer and, Instructor/Trainer.
Extensive Business Analyst and Copy Editing experience in Project Management, Tech Writing, System and Organizational Development, Process Improvement, Quality Assurance and Audit Compliance related disciplines with EDS, GM, Ford Motor Co., Lerner Publishing.
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