How to Avoid Identity Theft

14 Tips to Avoid Identity Theft

By Frank W. Abagnale
From: Bankrate.com
Updated: June 29, 2005

Identity thieves rob more than 500,000 Americans every year. Credit can be damaged, and fixing it can cost you hundreds of dollars and take hundreds of hours of your time. These steps will help you reduce your risk of identity theft.

1. Guard your Social Security number. It is the key to your credit report and banking accounts and is the prime target of criminals.
   
   
2. Monitor your credit report. It contains your SSN, present and prior employers, a listing of all account numbers, including those that have been closed, and your overall credit score. After applying for a loan, credit card, rental or anything else that requires a credit report, request that your SSN on the application be truncated or completely obliterated and your original credit report be shredded before your eyes or returned to you once a decision has been made. A lender or rental manager needs to retain only your name and credit score to justify a decision.
   
   
3. Shred all old bank and credit statements and "junk mail" credit card offers before trashing them. Use a crosscut shredder. Crosscut shredders cost more than regular shredders but are superior.
   
   
4. Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three credit reporting bureaus to reduce the number of pre-approved credit offers you receive.
   
   
5. Add your name to the name-deletion lists of the Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service and Telephone Preference Service used by banks and other marketers.
   
   
6. Do not carry extra credit cards or other important identity documents except when needed.
   
   
7. Place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine. Copy both sides of your license and credit cards so you have all the account numbers, expiration dates and phone numbers if your wallet or purse is stolen.
   
   
8. Do not mail bill payments and checks from home. They can be stolen from your mailbox and washed clean in chemicals. Take them to the post office.
   
   
9. Do not print your Social Security number on your checks.
   
   
10. Order your Social Security Earnings and Benefits statement once a year to check for fraud.
    
    
11. Examine the charges on your credit card statements before paying them.
    
    
12. Cancel unused credit card accounts.
    
    
13. Never give your credit card number or personal information over the phone unless you have initiated the call and trust that business.
    
    
14. Subscribe to a credit report monitoring service that will notify you whenever someone applies for credit in your name.
    
    

Identity theft tops the Federal Trade Commision's list of consumer complaints. Frank W. Abagnale, a reformed thief, is now a respected authority on identity theft and other forms of fraud. His book, "Catch Me If You Can," which details his criminal escapades, was made into a feature film by Steven Spielberg and stars Leonardo DiCaprio as Abagnale.

How to Avoid Internet Identity Theft

You cannot watch TV, read a magazine, or visit a bank without seeing something about Internet identity theft. Identity theft has become the fastest growing crime in America, however many of today's identity theives aren't trying to steal your wallet, purse, or mail. CBS News reported that every 79 seconds a thief hacks into a computer to steal a victim's identity, and then goes on a buying spree.

Thousands of individuals have become identity theft victims when selling, donating or discarding a computer. Many people think that deleting their files and then emptying the Recycle Bin will permanently get rid of those files. In fact, the Recycle Bin even tells you that emptying the Recycle Bin will permanently remove items.

Method Used to Erase Hard Drives: Data Truly Gone? Delete File No Empty Recycle Bin No Format Hard Drive No Use WipeDrive to Erase Hard Drive Data Yes Use SecureClean to Remove Internet Tracks Yes

Unfortunately, that is not correct. After emptying the Recycle Bin, your files can be easily retrieved by many data recovery programs and free software tools. Many people believe the best way to avoid identity theft and erase hard drive data is by formatting the hard drive. But, contrary to popular belief, formatting your hard drive DOES NOT erase hard drive data! The only way to erase hard drive data is to overwrite your hard drive with random information.

Additionally, Windows often stores unneeded traces of your personal information, including passwords, credit card numbers, and previously deleted data and e-mail, all without you even knowing it. Each day brings news of more viruses, Trojan horses, and worms that can obtain your confidential information and wreak havoc on you and your computer. Use WipeDrive and SecureClean to avoid identity theft and remove sensitive information from your hard drive -because what's not there can't be stolen!

Need to Completely Wipe a Computer Hard Drive?

• Try DoD approved WipeDrive to completely wipe your hard drive and avoid identity theft

Need to Keep Your Operating System Intact?

• Check out SecureClean to erase temporary Internet files and sensitive information