Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft

The Trash
One of the easiest things that a thief can do to gather information about you is to dig through your trash.

• The Solution
  Never throw out anything that has your account numbers or personal information on it without shredding it first. A crosscut paper shredder is a little more expensive than a conventional shredder but it prevents the thief from pasting strips together to get your personal information.

The Account Update Scam
This scam is usually carried out via e-mail although it is also done over the phone. Typically you will receive an e-mail that will look like it’s from someplace where you have an account such as your financial institution or your Internet Service Provider (ISP). They will tell you they need to update your account information and ask you to send private information such as a credit card or Social Security number.

• The Solution
  Never send any kind of personal information via e-mail or telephone. Read more about the latest trend in e-mail fraud at the Anti-Phishing Working Group www.antiphishing.org

The Mailbox
There is a lot of personal information about you that gets sent to your mailbox. There are also many vulnerable items containing your personal information that you put in your mailbox every day.

• The Solution
  When mailing items that contain personal information or checks, it is always a good idea to mail them in a sealed mailbox or drop them at the post office. For incoming mail, the safest thing to use is a locked mailbox or a post office box.

Stealing Your Wallet
A thief may remove one of your many credit cards from your wallet, leaving the others in tact, and may even arrange the return of your wallet.

• The Solution
  A criminal can do a lot of damage with one credit card. Carry only what you need. Do not carry extra credit cards or your Social Insurance Number in your wallet.

The Workplace
In a practice known as “business record theft,” a thief will steal files out of offices where you are a customer, employee, patient or student; bribing an employee who has access to your files; or “hacking” into electronic files.

• The Solution
  Find out who has access to your personal information at work, and other companies with which you do business, and verify that records are kept in a secure location.

At Home
Cheque books, bills, and financial statements may be stored in your top desk drawer or perhaps piled up on your kitchen counter. These are just a few items containing your personal information that most people have at home.

• The Solution
  Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done in your home. Inexpensive safes can be purchased at most hardware or home improvement stores.

DSL/Cable Modem an Wireless Networks
Hackers can get into your computer and even tap into your wireless network.

• The Solution
  Make sure that you are using a hardware or software firewall and put as much security in place as you can to protect your wireless connection.