Sunday, November 30, 2008

What Can You Do To Prevent Identity Theft?

By David Little

Unfortunately identity theft is such a big topic especially as we are nearing the holiday season. People are frustated with the fact that they have gotten laid off and theymay not be able to provide the type of holiday for their family that they would like to have. It is important that you begin learning how to prevent identity theft so that you do not have to worry about this crime.

An identity theft crime occurs every 3 seconds in our society. So what can you do to prevent your personal information so that you do not have to worry about becoming an identity theft victim; we will provide you with some valuable information.

1. Mail: If you have a mailbox that is unsecured; it is important to check it everyday. You may also want to consider switching to a mailbox that you can lock. People who commit these types of crimes usually go into neighborhoods looking for mail during the hours that they know people are at work.

2. Telephone Numbers: If your number is listed in a telephone book; then anyone has access to all your personal information. Regardless of whether you have your number listed; whenever you have a phone in your name then someone can still access your personal information. Reverse phone directories will provide all you personal information to a customer who is willing to pay for it.

3. Internet Access: If you have a computer and access to the internet then you have access to almost any kind of information that you are looking for.

So with all the ways that people can access your identity what can you do to prevent identity theft? Some of the main things that you can do to prevent identity theft are:

1. Do Not Throw Away Financial Statements: Whtether it is a piece of junk mail or a financial statement; the main thing you want to do is shred every piece of mail that has your personal information on it. The best type of shredder to ensure that no one can read the pieces of paper is a cross cutter shredder.

2. Hire A Monitoring Company: People fail to understand that in order to prevent becoming a victim of this crime you have to know what is going on with your credit. Unfortunately it is very difficult for anyone to monitor their own credit report everyday; so you should consider hiring a monitoring company that will be able to do this for you.

While the internet is filled with several reputable companies that you can use; you can easily visit our site below and gain access to the top reputable companies. These companies ensure that you will never have to worry about becoming a victim of this crime. - 16747

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