An identity thief steals your identity to commit fraud in your name. Your bank accounts, credit ratings, and other financial dealings can be compromised by the identity thief. He gets access to your email accounts, bank accounts, credit card and ATM cards, which can leave you not just in severe financial crisis, but also several litigations.
Most identity thieves want Social Security card number, passwords and bank account, credit card number and other information. Therefore, in order to prevent identity thefts, ensure that you have a foolproof system in place so you never accidentally give out sensitive information.
So which are the potential “chinks in the armor” that can compromise your security? Here are some of them.
1) Mailbox: Many of us don’t think it necessary to lock the mailbox. This often proves to be a huge mistake if you are one of those who receive banking information, credit card bills, and checks in your mailbox. The thief just needs to open your mailbox lid, take out the papers and walk away. It is as simple as that!
2) Wallets: Guard your wallet at all times. The wallet or purse possibly contains all information an identity thief will ever need. It has many credit cards and little notations about your Social Security numbers you put down in your pocket diary.
3) Trash Can: You may be feeling confident that what you put in your garbage disposal system is of no use to anyone. Well, you are very wrong. Any person with criminal intent will find it worth the muckraking to come up with such a rich haul of information as your old credit card bills, cancelled checks, and other documents.
4) Giving Away Information: Sometimes, an identity thief need not even go through all that trouble to get to your password. Phishing scams abound on the Internet; someone posing as your credit card agent or lawyer will ask you for your personal information, and most probably you will tell them your banking information, credit card or Social Security number without a second thought.
5) Lockers and Storage: Lockers at your workplace, gym, and hobby class need to be locked in order to keep your wallets, purses, and important documents safe. If possible, try to install your own lock on the locker. This will make your locker safe from thieves who may have duplicated the locker keys provided by the owners of the building.
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