The Council of Better Business Bureaus and the National Foundation for Credit Counseling are encouraging consumers and small business owners all over the country to fight identity theft by taking part in the third annual Protect Your Identity Week, to be held Oct. 17-23.
Identity theft is a growing problem, with the number of U. S. victims climbing to 11.1 million in 2009, a 12.5 percent increase over the previous year, according to Javelin Strategy and research. No one is completely safe, but there are steps consumers can take to protect themselves against identity theft, and to limit the damage if it does happen.
As part of the special week-long focus, consumers and small business owners can take advantage of:
• More than 150 events taking place in communities across the country, most offering educational workshops, credit report reviews and document shredding. All events are free and open to the public. Some locations will also provide safe disposal of mobile phones and computer equipment.
• Consumers should take the time to assess their own risk for identity theft. Do you have the proper anti-spyware software on your computer? Do you have a firewall? Do you change your passwords frequently? Do you make them difficult to figure out? Do you shred your documents? Are you careful about when and where you give out your personal information? If you are unsure of any of these things, you could be at risk.
Visit the Better Business Bureau Web site to find event locations near you.
But you don’t have to wait until Oct. 17 to become proactive about protecting your identity information. You can begin by calling LifeLock today.
LifeLock is the industry leader in proactive identity theft protection. LifeLock scans for both credit and non-credit related threats to your information, and if any threat is detected, you’ll be notified immediately. If there is any activity, a LifeLock representative will move quickly to restore things back to normal.
Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”
Tags: Identity Theft, LifeLock, LifeLock promo code, Protect Your Identity Week
