Identity Theft Protection 12 Steps to Guarding Your Identity

Identity theft protection is your best weapon against identity theft. Indeed, ignorance or unawareness is the leading cause of identity theft. So dont make it easy for thieves to get your identity! Follow identity theft protection practices, and spare yourself the trouble of having your records marred and the difficulty of clearing your name and starting over.

Identity Theft Protection - How Does Your Identity Get Stolen?

You should be aware of how your personal information can be stolen. This can help you always stay alert when it comes to guarding your personal information. Following are some of the ways your personal information can be stolen by identity thieves.

* through your identification numbers and passwords;
* through cellular or wireless phones;
* through the information stored in your computer;
* through undestroyed credit cards in trash bins;
* through online banking;
* through online purchases.

12 Steps to Better Identity Theft Protection

Do not take a passive stance when it comes to identity theft protection. Do everything you can to promote identity theft protection and to keep your own information from the hands of identity thieves.

Below are some practices that can help you get started in forming identity theft protection habits.

1. Refrain from printing or writing your security code and financial numbers. Try to memorize them instead.

2. Always secure your files with a password. Further, use passwords that are difficult to guess.

3. Another identity theft protection measure you should take is to request for your credit report from the three credit bureaus every year. Review them and immediately report and fix any discrepancies.

4. Install identity theft protection software on your computer. This includes firewalls, anti-virus and anti-spyware programs. This minimizes the chances of malicious programs retrieving your personal information.

5. Do not include your personal information in email correspondences.

6. When visiting a website, never follow the link provided in the email. Instead, go directly to the site.

7. Do not be quick in opening email attachments. These files may contain malicious programs. Use identity theft protection software to check these attachments before you open them.

8. An important identity theft protection tip to remember is to not give out your personal and financial information over the Internet or over the phone unless you initiated the conversation (in the case of the latter).

9. Ensure that you destroy your credit cards before throwing them away.

10. Be prompt in reporting lost or stolen cards. Have your accounts temporarily closed until your cards are recovered.

11. Destroy all documents containing personal information by burning them.

12. Never dispose of your receipts in public places.

Identity theft protection should be a continuous effort and should be constantly practiced. Just because nothing has happened today means you are forever safe. In fact, identity thieves are always waiting for you to be lax so that they can move in and steal your information. Dont give them this chance!