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How to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft
All of us have heard of identity theft. What many may not know,
is that no other theft is quite so pervasive, insidious…and
potentially devastating. Good credit histories that have taken years
to build can be destroyed in relative short-order, leaving the victims
financially devastated, and more often than not, liable for much
(if not all) of the incurred debt.
In today's digital age, more so than ever, it's important to keep
a vigilant guard against anything that could make us susceptible
to this type of theft. Perhaps this is even truer for full time
RVer's who often have multiple accounts, and less frequent contact
with their banks.
Although not a definitive list, the below are some good practices
that could help protect you from identity theft.
- Tear up all credit card or ATM receipts before you throw them
away. Many of these have your complete credit card/ATM number
on them.
- Tear up all old checks and deposit slips from both open and
closed accounts before throwing them away.
- Do not carry your social security card in your wallet; you'll
rarely have need for it. It's best to memorize the number and
store it in a safe place.
- Retain copies of your credit cards and drivers license. If your
wallet is ever lost or stolen, report the theft immediately to
your credit card companies. It's also good to file a police report.
- Get your credit report at least once a year.
- Reconcile all your credit card statements and bank account statements
promptly. If you delay reporting any questionable activity, it
could cost you.
- Talk to your banking representative about what types of security
they have in place. Many will have services that compare checks
issued against those cashed to make sure the amounts match up.
- Whenever possible avoid giving out your account numbers to anyone.
- Never give out your PIN numbers to anyone.
- Close all unused accounts and thoroughly destroy all credit
cards before throwing them away.
Family RV in San Jose, hope this helps!!
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