11 Tips For Preventing Identity Theft

Every 3.5 seconds in the United States, someone's identity is stolen. You can minimize your risk by following these eleven tips:

1. Shred any bills or documents that contain your address, any account number(s), or other information that can identify you personally.
2. Never carry more credit cards than you need.
3. Cancel credit card accounts you no longer use.
4. Never carry your social security card.
5. When traveling, suspend delivery of your newspaper and mail. Mail left in an unsecured mailbox can be stolen by identity thieves.
6. For your online accounts, do not use the same password for multiple accounts.
7. When shopping online, avoid unknown E-commerce sites, banner ads or unexpected pop-up windows that claim your computer is infected. These can lead to spyware being placed on your computer.
8. Make sure your antivirus software is always up to date and a firewall is running at all times.
9. Consider freezing your credit.
10. Review your credit reports at least annually.
11. If an offer sounds too good to be true, it is most likely a scam.

It can take months, sometimes years, to fully recover from identity theft and restore your name. So you should do everything possible to prevent it from happening to you.

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