Protecting Yourself from Identity TheftPart 5
by Michelle Black
There are few things I hate more than identity fraud. I have seen identity thieves wreak tremendous havoc on the lives of good, innocent people. Thankfully, during my years working at HOPE, I have also seen our team of credit experts help many, many people overcome identity fraud and take back their good names. Unfortunately, even with professional assistance, it takes time to undo the damage that an identity thief causes to a credit report. That is why I am continuing this week to share even more ways that you can protect yourself and hopefully keep from ever becoming a victim of identity theft in the first place! On that note, here is my next tip:
#5: Never Leave Personal Information in Your Car.
“Car prowling” is another common way identity thieves target their victims. You should never leave your checkbook, wallet, purse, credit cards, credit card purchase receipts, social security card, credit card statements, or any other personal information in your vehicle. If an identity thief gets their hands on any of these items you could be in serious trouble. So, don’t make it any easier for the dishonest to abuse you! Lock up these personal items in your home or keep them on your person at all times.
There are still more tips to come so check back with us again this week! By the end of this blog series you too can be an expert at preventing identity fraud. Plus, you can help to increase awareness regarding one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States by “tweeting,” emailing, or sharing a link to this article with your online friends. Our easy to use “share” buttons below make this easier than ever.
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