Identity Theft Prevention Is Your Optimum Potential Protection
By: lisa lucero | Posted: 26th March 2010
Identity theft prevention is achievable with a few common-sense steps that would be able to thwart the best efforts of the would-be thief. You must be aware that identify theft is possible both online and offline with the help of little clues that you leave for these unscrupulous people to pick up and manipulate.
Identity Theft Prevention - Act Today, Now
Make it a habit to tear all the papers you want to throw in the waste basket whether you are in your office or at home. When you want identity theft prevention this should be of paramount importance as a thief can go through your thrash and pick up critical information from there otherwise. Are you aware about phishing? This is not a spelling mistake; rather it is a very important aspect to be discussed regarding identity theft prevention.
You need to know that people could be skimming your information right when you type it in on your PC or laptop - say the password or name and the credit card number. Some thieves use the credit card carefully even after they gather the correct information about it, milking the host forever. Of course there are the others who would simply dip in and wipe out a large amount of money leaving you behind holding a huge debt and a poor credit card history.
The identity theft prevention in this case involves being extra careful when you find anyone asking you to fill in your password or any other such privileged information. Never have any of your financial data stored on the computer. There is a possibility that someone could be accessing your computer as you use it and then you would be totally vulnerable.
If you are using a laptop, do not feed in automatic access to your bank account and other similar sensitive locations as you might loose your laptop or have it stolen and then all your information would be "gifted" to the thief. Change the passwords periodically and have it containing both letters and numbers, which would be difficult to guess and crack.
Beware of the websites where you are doing online shopping; before you type in your card details, check carefully whether the page is totally secure. Also find out whether the site is legal and not a dummy meant to milk you of the information that would give the thief a green signal for funds embezzlement.
Do not give any personal information over phone, no matter what they say the consequences would be. Whoever they would be, the bank, your office, or anyone else who could be important to you do not give any information over the phone. It is a child's play to impersonate someone over the phone today. Offer to give them the information in person, at their office instead.
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Tags: habit, amount of money, common sense, passwords, thieves, identity theft, paramount importance, thief, laptop, best efforts, letters and numbers, waste basket