 |
Be suspicious of transactions you didn’t
initiate. |
| Ask yourself if you really need to provide your Social Security number, and
don't carry your Social Security card. |
| Don’t carry your credit cards and checkbook unless you plan to use them. |
| Review your credit report, and close accounts you don’t really need. |
| Take the contents out of your wallet and photocopy everything, front and back.
keep the copies in a secure place. |
| When you get a new credit card, sign it immediately. |
| Of course, your mailbox is an invitation to thieves. Never leave outgoing mail
in your unprotected box for collection. |
| When ordering checks, omit your driver’s license number, Social Security
number, and consider using only the initials of your first and middle name. And
if possible, pick up your checks in-person instead of having them mailed. |
| During all in-person transactions, watch the people you give your credit cards
to carefully. |
| If you use your credit cards online, be sure to navigate directly to the
retailer’s site. Avoid following links in e-mails, even to donate to your
favorite cause. |
| When buying or donating online, look for Secure Sockets Layer (SSL)
protection. A padlock in the bottom right-hand corner of your browser isn’t
enough. Check the URL for https://(the s is for secure) and beware of pop-up
forms. Look for businesses and organizations that follow safe online and e-mail
practices and feature certifications from groups such as TrustE or ScanAlert. |
| Shred all documents that contain any personal information before throwing them
away. |
| Finally, keep records of all online purchases, including dates and order
numbers. Keep all credit card receipts and compare them against your monthly
statements. Better yet, sign up to view your account online and track it on a
daily or weekly basis. |
