If You Are Using A Shared Computer, Be Sure To Get Rid Of Any Passwords Or Personal Information

Category: Finance, Credit.

In daily life, very few people stop to think about how effective their identity theft prevention skills are. Today s youth are especially at risk- the 18 to 29 age range is the quickest growing victim group.

Of course, many people are not aware that identity theft is the fastest growing type of fraud. Everyone should be educated on identity theft protection, especially parents and students. It is not uncommon to share such personal information as full names, birthdays, addresses, phone numbers, and the names of friends, employers and hangouts. It is believed that the reason for this lies in the proliferation of websites that prominently display personal information, such as MySpace and Facebook. This is a thief s dream source of all the information they need to wheedle their way into your finances, wreaking havoc in your life far beyond your bank account. This is one situation in which knowledge is power and it s what you don t know that is likely to hurt you. It doesn t take long to ruin a credit rating so it s important that students( and everyone else, for that matter) know how to protect themselves against identity theft.

Here are 10 tips for identity theft prevention. Inquire immediately if you do not receive an expected bill, see withdrawals or charges that you did not make or if you see an unexpected spike in your interest rate. Know what you ve got coming to you- especially bank, loan and credit card statements. Inquire after any variations in name and address in mail you receive. Thieves can memorize account and PIN numbers so be wary of using an ATM or credit card when there are people lurking nearby. If you re throwing out mail or other documents with personal details on it, shred it into small pieces first. Never carry passwords, PIN numbers or your Social Security number on your person.

For that matter, avoid using public computers for finances- you never know when a computer might be infected with key- logging spy ware and you never know who will be using it next. If you are using a shared computer, be sure to get rid of any passwords or personal information. Keep your home computer safe- always have current virus software and firewall protection running. You never know when a current or prospective employer will Google your name to see what is out there to be said about you. This is important: nothing in your online profiles or posts is ever private. Pick passwords that have nothing to do with you. Anywhere you use a password, you re at risk- from your bank accounts to your favorite online store.

Many people use personal details that are easy to remember- spouse s or kids names and birthdays might be easy for you, but they are also pretty obvious to thieves. Beware of scams! Only give information to legitimate companies- and remember that legitimate companies will not be contacting you and asking for personal information out of the blue. 1 Monitor your credit reports. If you receive unsolicited calls or emails asking for personal information, you are probably looking at a scam. Look for any names, addresses or open accounts that are not yours and follow up on all inaccuracies via certified mail. Are you ready to get your own free, annual credit report? Determine which safety measure is best for your particular situation- freezes and fraud alerts are both options.

Just call this automated toll- free number: 877- 322- 822