Guarding Against Indentity Theft

More and more people are becoming victims of identity theft. Identity theft affects us all, from the victim who goes through financial and emotional turmoil, as well consumers. Thieves can get information about you from ATM machines, credit cards, the internet; they may even go through your trash. Once gotten the information is their first tool in making you an identity theft victim. There are ways to protect yourself however; I have listed a few below.

•ü Don't send bills from your home mail box; go to a post office collection box, or the post office itself.

•ü Never, never, never, give out financial information over the phone or the internet

•ü Do not keep financial on a laptop or notebook, these items are easily stolen.

•ü Cut up or shred old credit cards before dropping in the trash, and don't forget to do the same with those pre-approved check transfer offers.

•ü Keep track of your credit activity, MyFico.com is a good place to open an inexpensive account that can monitor your activity and send you monthly reports. Thieves don't need your card in their hand to make a purchase over the internet.

Following these simple rules can help you avoid some real life headaches in the future.