Just how much information does a thief really need to know in order to steal your identity? Armed with easily-found information such as your birth date, address or mother’s maiden name, an individual could access your existing accounts or establish new loans or credit in your name.
Reports of security breaches in which customer data and personal information were compromised have been making headlines in recent months. Choicepoint, Lexis Nexis, HSBC and Bank of America have all reported massive amounts of compromised customer information. Each of the breaches were the result of a variety of reasons, including poor internal security, lax procedures and hacking.
Information can also be pulled from your trash can. Waiters can swipe or write down your credit card number when you pay for your dinner. But social engineering and good, old-fashioned theft still pose a greater threat than network security, and it is up to you to monitor and protect your personal information and your credit.
Here are some tips to help you secure and protect your personal information and ensure that your identity is not compromised.
• Watch for shoulder surfers. When entering your personal identification number or credit card number at an ATM machine, at a phone booth or even on a computer, be aware of who is nearby, and make sure no one is peeking over your shoulder to make a note of the keys you’re depressing.
• Require photo identification. Rather than signing the back of your credit or debit card, you can write, “See Photo ID.” Many times, store clerks don’t look at the signature on the back of the card, but for those times they do, they will see that they need to verify with a photo ID.
• Make sure you shred everything. One of the ways that would-be identity thieves acquire information is through dumpster diving. If you are throwing out bills and credit card statements, old credit card or ATM receipts, medical statements or even pre-approved credit card offers, you may be leaving too much information lying about. Buy a shredder and shred all papers before disposing of them.
• Destroy all digital data. When you sell, trade or dispose of a computer system or hard drive, or even a backup tape, you need to take extra steps to ensure the data is completely and irrevocably destroyed. Simply deleting it is not enough.
Take a proactive stance with LifeLock by becoming a member today. LifeLock will monitor the Internet and databases for your personal information and notify you of any fraudulent activity before it becomes a problem.
Receive 30 days free and get a 10 percent discount on enrollment with the LifeLock Promo Code “Defense.”
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