Protect Yourself From Pretexting and Id Theft
How Can You Protect Yourself From Pretexting and Id Theft?
Identity theft is a crime that has become very common in the recent years; a lot of people in various regions and economic backgrounds have been victimized by identity thieves. However, there are simple ways to minimize the risk of your identity being stolen and used for criminal purposes.
Never give out information over the phone, email or suspicious websites. People who ask for this information may be using a false scenario called pretexting. Crucial information such as your social security number, address, telephone number, place of employment, etc. can all be used to open accounts and conduct transactions under your name, which can leave your credit rating in a sorry state. Simply put, this tip means when in doubt, don’t give out.
Keep documents that contain sensitive information in a secure place or shred them. Old utility bills, credit card statements and credit reports should all be kept in a place where no one can access them easily. It’s also advisable to shred such documents once they are no longer current as they contain information that can be used for fraudulent activities.
Contact your credit bureau, credit card company, and other financial institutions where you keep your funds once you suspect that you are a victim of identity theft. Undelivered bills, unauthorized credit cards under your name and unauthorized transactions with your credit bureau are usually signs that you’ve been victimized by an identity thief. When any of these occur, contact the appropriate company immediately so an investigation can be conducted at the soonest time possible.
