Betty is a retiree who lives on the coast. She enjoys gardening, is active at her local church, and volunteers at the local hospital. She just bought a computer and is learning to use it, so that she can keep in touch better with her grandchildren.
And Betty is one smart cookie. She thwarted a recent attempt at identity theft, and was quick to notify her local police department about it.
Betty received a call at her home from someone asking about her newly-purchased computer. The caller told her that his company worked with the retailer where she had purchased her computer, and he knew that there were major files that are part of the Microsoft program on her computer that were corrupted and in need of repair.
Betty hasn’t had time to have someone set up her Internet connection yet, so she knew that no one outside of her home would have access to anything on her computer. She promptly ended the phone call, and didn’t provide the caller with any information.
Based on that call, Betty believes someone was attempting to gather information about her and her computer so that he could access her files and obtain personal information – information he could then use to steal her identity and rob her blind.
If you receive a call such as this one from someone requesting your personal information, don’t give it to him. This includes your address, birth date, Social Security, bank account or credit card numbers, and passwords. Betty did the right thing by reporting the incident to her police department, and so should you.
Be sure to shred any documentation that contains personal information, including medical bills, credit card and bank statements, and pre-approved credit card offers.
To be completely sure you’re safe, call LifeLock today. LifeLock will monitor for any credit or non-credit related threats to your personal information, and will notify you immediately, so that the issue can be resolved quickly.
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