It should come as no surprise that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in America today. While it may seem like one of those things that “will never happen to you” – it’s actually more prevalent than you’d ever imagine. While to some, taking precautions to protect our identity seems like an unnecessary effort, it’s actually one of the best (and easiest!) things you can do for yourself. Between things like the Heartbleed virus and Target’s recent credit card debacle, being precautionary is just plain smart. For those of you aren’t willing to take the chance, here are a few identity protection tips that will keep you and your personal information under lock and key.
- Routinely check the privacy settings on your social media channels. Keep things secure by setting Facebook to “friends only” – but be sure to check back regularly.
- Be wary and aware of spam and phishing emails. Don’t ever respond to emails with your private info or banking details. If you receive an email asking for this information, contact your bank or Credit Card Company directly.
- Keep your personal information out of your social media profiles. I know, I know – to some extent social media is personal, but excluding your phone number, home address and information about your children keeps your profiles just vague enough.
- Make passwords complex and unique. I know it’s tough to remember all of them, so we make them catchy and fun, but this is your identity we’re talking about here, and in this case complicated is better.
- Monitor your bank and credit card statements with a keen eye. With many of our financial transactions happening on the web, it’s tough to remember to pay attention to statements, but this is where mysterious and unauthorized purchases appear. Make it a monthly routine to double check all statements.
- Add a password to your home Wi-Fi. Sounds a little extreme, I know. But people are smarter and smarter these days about finding ways to get private information. Remember your Wi-Fi is for you only, not the entire neighborhood.
Have you ever had to deal with identity theft? What are some things you wish you had known?
