Computer Basics

The identity thieves are still out there, waiting, watching. Ready to pounce when you slip up. What? Yes, they're ready to make off with the most important item you own...your good name. Don't give them the opportunity. Take a little preventative action now in order to protect yourself in the future. Here are 4 quick things you can do now to protect yourself in the future. Some of these items are overlooked by the experts but just make common sense.

1. Don't give out your social security card ever! There shouldn't be a need to explain this one.

2. Lock up financial documents. Use a lock box or small safe at home to lock up bank statements, insurance documents, credit card statements...in fact any documents that contain your name, address, date of birth, social security number or any other similar documents. You never know who might be in your home that could be tempted to steal your information. Don't leave temptation laying around. Just like you've learned not to leave the keys in the car when you're not in it, don't leave your personal information laying around for anyone to take.

3. What's in your wallet or purse? How many credit cards do you have in there? Have you written PINs or passwords on scraps of paper you keep in your wallet? If your wallet or purse is stolen or lost do you know what's in iorder t to tell the Police? If you don't know which credit cards you're carrying how do you know what credit card companies to call to report the lost of stolen cards?

4. Use a cross cut shredder to destroy all of your documents, old statements, insurance papers, junk mail, receipts...in fact, use the shredder on all of your documents. Dumpster diving is alive and well and is a major source of information used by criminals to steal identities. And on top of that, dumpster diving is totally legal. That's right, the moment you put your trash by the curb it's in the public domain and anybody can take it. Stop them by making sure they can't read what you put out. Shredders cost very little and are a simple way of ensuring what you throw out doesn't come back to haunt you.

5. Check your credit reports at the big three credit agencies yearly or use a monitoring service to do it for you. This is one of the most important assets you own, take care of it.