How to Prevent Identity Theft

These days, many burglars are breaking into houses not just to steal valuables and cash but also to steal identities. This is getting to be a major problem because homeowners are not as vigilant about their personal information as they should be, particularly if the information is kept inside their homes. They believe, and rightly so, that their home should be safe enough to be able to leave that information relatively unsecured. However, with the incidents of identity theft on the rise, this is simply not the case.

The best way to combat identity theft is to prevent it from happening in the first place. There are many steps you can take to ensure that if your home is burglarized, the criminals do not gain access to your personal information. First, install a home security system. This is probably the single best thing you can do to keep the criminal element out of your house where your personal information is kept. The system you install should come with monitoring services to make sure the authorities are alerted immediately if the alarm is triggered.

Other than installing home security system, you can take the following actions to help prevent identity theft.

1. Run a credit check on yourself to make sure there haven’t been any credit inquiries made that you are unaware of or that there are no unauthorized accounts in your name.
2. Always balance your checkbook and check you records against the statements so you can contest any charges that you did not make.
3. Have only one or two open credit cards to reduce your exposure to potential fraudulent charges.
4. Shred any pre-approved credit card and loan applications as soon as you get them. Anyone can get a hold of these and fill them out in your name.
5. Do not provide personal information over the phone to anyone you do not know. This includes your driver’s license number, credit card numbers, bank account numbers, your date of birth and your social security number.
6. Try not to give these numbers out when you cash checks. There should be another way the business can verify your identity, such as by using a check-cashing card.
7. Keep your debit, credit and ATM card receipts in a safe place. If you no longer need them, shred them before you throw them away.

These tips can keep you from becoming a victim of identity theft. Although there are other steps you can take, these seven suggestions are effective in safeguarding your identity.

About the Author –
John is a shrewd consumer who writes about personal finance, home technology and home security topics like: security systems, wireless security system and home security.