Prevention And Preparation
What are the most important things I can do to protect myself from identity theft?
When it comes to protecting yourself from identity theft, the basic stuff is protect your personal information: don't give it out when you don't have to. Shred anything and everything with your name and any account numbers. Be very careful with what goes out in the mail and what comes in the mail. Make sure that your computers and your wireless connections are secured. Make sure you have updated antivirus protection. Make sure you don't have any spyware on your PCs. Just consciously think: "Is what I'm doing going to put me in a situation where my identity can be compromised?"
How can I minimize my risk in the case of identity theft?
The best way to minimize your risk when it comes to identity theft is to check your credit reports frequently. Making sure that there aren't any accounts that are opened up under your name. By checking your credit reports you can respond and close down accounts that may compromise your credit. In addition to that, getting involved in credit monitoring services.
How can I prepare in case I am a victim of identity theft?
The best way to prepare in case you are a victim of identity theft is really to have an organized financial life, making sure that your birth certificate is really accessable, making sure that your social security card is really accessible, your drivers license is up to date, making sure that you have a passport. In case your identity is compromised a passport is a great form of identification.In addition to that, having all your paperwork and documentation for your mortgage, for your credit cards, your bank statements, having everything lined up and organized and properly filed. Having receipts for all your purchases and anything that involves your name, your address, your social security number, any of your accounts, your credit reports.Having all that information all organized whether it's electronically or in a filing cabinet.
What is an "identity emergency kit"?
An identity emergency kit is essentially all of your identifying documentation, especially the stuff that is in your wallet. I always recommend that you take your wallet to a copy machine and copy the front and back of every document you have in your wallet. So in the event that the wallet or pocketable purse is stolen, you can then cancel all those credit cards, you'll have the phone numbers, the credit card information and everything to go ahead and cancel and restore your credit cards. Also have photocopies of birth certificates, drivers licences and passports, so that you can be still be properly identified and you have some type of backed up documentation that will in effect identify you.
Where should I keep my identity emergency kit?
I would always take this emergency identity theft kit, and I would do one of two things, or both. I would actually put it in a secure place, like a safe, or even a post office box or a secure box at a bank. Also, I would digitally scan, in a PDF file, and upload that kit to like a Yahoo or a Hotmail account, so you have it digitally and it's available anywhere in the world. Sometimes that information becomes very valuable. If you're traveling internationally and you lose your passport, you can always go online and download it.
