February 2002 Article

Protect Against Identity Theft

Do not routinely carry your Social Security card, your birth certificate, your passport, or more than one or two credit cards.
Do not leave bill payments in an unlocked mailbox.
Tear up or shred unused credit card solicitations and convenience checks.
Review your credit card statements, phone and utility statements for unauthorized use.
Order your credit report each year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies and check for accuracy and indications of fraud.
Never give out your credit card, bank account, or Social Security number over the telephone unless you have a trusted business relationship with the business or organization. Release your Social Security number only when necessary for tax, employment, or financial transactions; when possible ask to use an alternate identifying number.
If you do not receive timely credit card statements or new or renewed credit cards, call the creditor and post office to see if an unauthorized change-of-address request has been filed in your name.
If you shop on the Internet, use a secure browser, or place your order by telephone or mail.
Check your Social Security Earnings and Benefits statement once each year to make sure that someone else is not using your Social Security number.
Consider having your name removed from marketing lists. Request that credit reporting agencies and credit card issuers not release your personal information for marketing purposes.
You may request that your name be added to the Direct Marketing Association's name-removal list.
Consider not listing your residence telephone number in the telephone book, or just list your name and number, but not your address, professional designations, qualifications or affiliations.
Cancel unused credit cards.
When creating passwords and personal identification numbers (PINs), do not use any part of your Social Security number, birth date, middle name, wife's name, child's name, pet's name, mother's maiden name, address or consecutive numbers.
Memorize all your passwords and PINs, never write them in your wallet, purse or Rolodex.
Shield the keypad when entering a PIN at an ATM, store or telephone.
When you fill out a credit application, be sure that the business either shreds these applications or stores them in locked files.