| Credit Repair |
-
|
|
|
| How do I Protect Myself from Identity Theft? |
|
Prevention is the first step in battling identity theft. To minimize the risk of someone stealing your identity and the pain of cleaning up the aftermath, follow these guidelines:
- Carry only the cards (credit and ID) that you need to have with you; file others in a safe place at home.
- Sign your credit cards immediately.
- Do not carry your social security card with you. Keep it in a secure, safe place.
- Do not attach a pin number or social security number to any cards you carry with you.
- Do not attach or write a pin number or social security number on anything you are going to discard (e.g. a receipt).
- Shred any document that contains your credit card number before you discard it.
- Check receipts to ensure you received your own and not someone else's.
- Alert your card issuer if you do not receive your statements. Someone could have taken them from your mailbox and could be using your credit card number.
- Do not give personal information or account numbers to anyone until you have confirmed the identity of the person requesting the information and verified that you need to provide them with the information.
- Frequently check your credit report or subscribe to Equifax Credit Checks to monitor your credit file daily and be alerted of changes that can be an early warning of identity theft, such as new account openings or changes to your address.
|
|
