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1. Protect your Social Security number.
Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. If your health plan
(other than Medicare) or another card uses your Social Security number, ask
the company for a different number.
2. Fight "phishing" - don’t take the
bait.
Scam artists "phish" for victims by pretending to be banks, stores or government
agencies. They do this over the phone, in e-mails and in the regular mail.
Don’t give out your personal information - unless you made the contact. Don’t
respond to a request to verify your account number or password. Legitimate
companies will not request this kind of information in this way.
3. Keep your identity from getting trashed.
Shred or tear up papers with personal information before you throw them away.
Shred credit card offers and "convenience checks" that you don’t use.
4. Control your personal financial information.
California law requires your bank and other financial services companies to
get your permission before sharing your personal financial information with
outside companies. You also have the right to limit the sharing of your personal
financial information with most of your companies’ affiliates. Write to your
companies that you want to "opt-out" of sharing your personal financial information
with their affiliates.
5. Shield your computer from viruses
and spies.
Protect your personal information on your home computer. Use strong passwords:
with at least eight characters, including a combination of letters, numbers,
and symbols, easy for you to remember, but difficult for others to guess.
Use firewall and virus protection software that you update regularly. Steer
clear of spyware: Download free software only from sites you know and trust.
Don’t install software without knowing what it is. Set Internet Explorer browser
security to at least "medium." Don’t click on links in pop-up windows or in
spam e-mail.
6. Click with caution
When shopping online, check out a Web site before entering your credit card
number or other personal information. Read the privacy policy and look for
opportunities to opt out of information sharing. (If there is no privacy policy
posted, beware! Shop elsewhere.) Only enter personal information on secure
Web pages with "https" in the address bar and a padlock symbol at the bottom
of the browser window. These are signs that your information will be encrypted
or scrambled, protecting it from hackers.
7. Check your bills and bank statements.
Open your credit card bills and bank statements right away. Check carefully
for any unauthorized charges or withdrawals and report them immediately. Call
if bills don’t arrive on time. It may mean that someone has changed contact
information to hide fraudulent charges.
8. Stop pre-approved credit offers.
Stop most
pre-approved credit card offers. They make a tempting target for identity
thieves who steal your mail. Have your name removed from credit bureau
marketing lists. Call toll-free 888-5OPTOUT (888-567-8688).
9. Ask questions.
Ask questions whenever you are asked for personal information that seems inappropriate
for the transaction. Ask how the information will be used and if it will be
shared. Ask how it will be protected. Explain that you’re concerned about
identity theft. If you’re not satisfied with the answers, consider going somewhere
else.
10. Check your credit reports - for
free.
One of the best ways to protect yourself from identity theft is to monitor
your credit history. You can get one free credit report every year from each
of the three national credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian and Trans Union. Request
all three reports at once, or be your own no-cost credit-monitoring service.
Just spread out your requests, ordering from a different bureau every four
months. (More comprehensive monitoring services from the credit bureaus cost
from $44 to over $100 per year.) Order your free annual credit reports by
phone, toll-free, at 877-322-8228, or online at www.annualcreditreport.com.
Or you can mail in an order form, available from the Federal Trade Commission.
Source:
Office of Privacy Protection in the California
Department of Consumer Affairs
Equifax
To report fraud: 1-800-525-6285
and write: P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
Experian
To report fraud: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742)
and write: P.O. Box 9532, Allen, TX 75013
TransUnion
To report fraud: 1-800-680-7289
and write:
Fraud Victim
Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634
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