Many folks are concerned these days about identity theft. I thought I’d share these tips with you on a few precautions you can take to minimize your risk of identity theft. This was taken from a recent article in the Baltimore Business Journal by S. Vincent Crescenzi.
1. Receipts – shred charge receipts, bank statements, credit card offers and other sensitive documents before throwing them away.
2. Mail – remove mail from your mailbox promptly. During vacations, place mail delivery on hold or ask someone to pick it up.
3. New checks – pick them up at the bank; don’t have them mailed to your home.
4. Information stored on computers – use antivirus software, passwords, firewall programs and other protections.
5. Social Security number – guard it carefully and don’t give it out unless it’s absolutely necessary. Do not provide personal information on the phone, by mail or online unless you intiated the contact.
6. It is estimated that 11.4 percent of identity thefts are committed by friends and relatives (!). Safeguard your important information.