Tips for Prevention of Identity Theft 

After victims have completed the whole process of recovery from identity theft, prevention measures were cited as the second most important action that would have helped them, only after better investigation by law enforcement. These prevention measures are in the form of better awareness on their own part of how to prevent and respond to identity theft.

Specific areas where greater awareness was cited included taking greater security precautions in handling their personal information, such as destroying materials that contain personal information instead of simply putting them in the trash, not placing personal information on the Internet, and securing their personal information in their homes and at work. Maintaining greater vigilance, such as monitoring their mail, billing cycles, and credit reports more carefully was also cited. Lastly, knowing who to contact, and notifying the affected companies and credit reporting agencies more quickly when they detected something wrong, was identified as an important factor in recovering from identity theft.

FraudWatch International sees itself meeting the needs of consumers by providing education of prevention measures and providing information on what to do if consumers become victims.

Tips for Prevention

  • Never give out your personal information over the phone unless you have initiated the call and completely trust the caller. This includes credit card and bank account numbers.
  • Always question the identity of people / companies that initiate contact with you - via email, mail, telephone or even in person - remember, ID cards, letterheads and business cards can easily be falsely created.
  • Do not carry your extra credit cards or other important identity documents in your purse or wallet except when necessary.
  • Minimize the amount of credit cards you own - cancel unused credit accounts.
  • Keep a photocopy of all cards (both front and back) kept in your wallet or purse in a safe and secure place. This makes it easier to contact every relevant institution in the event that your purse or wallet goes missing.
  • Never leave your purse or wallet unattended - at work, church, restaurants, parties, or shopping trolleys.
  • Direct all mail you receive to a post office box or secured box. This is especially relevant for bank and credit card statements, utility bills etc.
  • Safeguard all card transaction receipts - do not throw them out at points of purchase or in public. Shred them at home.
  • Cut up and dispose of all inactive or old credit or ATM cards. Even expired cards can be of benefit to thieves.
  • Safeguard all bank and credit card statements, and all utility bills. Do not simply throw these in the bin or recycling bin - shred them when you no longer require them.
  • Never simply throw out pre approved credit offers - always shred them.
  • Reconcile all bank and credit card accounts immediately when you receive them. Challenge any unauthorized transactions immediately.
  • If you don't receive a statement, notify the bank immediately.
  • Check you have authorized all charges on utility and telephone bills before paying them.
  • Protect your SSN - this is not a number just anyone can have if they ask, always ask why companies or people might want your SSN.
  • Do not print your SSN on your checks.
  • Order your Social Security Earnings and Benefits Statements once a year to check for fraud.
  • Never write down your PIN's - memorize them - if you do need to write them down, do not keep it in the same place as your card (eg, wallet or purse)
  • Be aware of shoulder surfers when you are using your credit card or ATM card. Always ensure you keep your PIN safely hidden from others.
  • During physical card transactions, never let your card out of your sight - this is especially true for restaurants. It is best to hold on to your card and enter it into the machine yourself - never let a waiter disappear with your card, even if he is processing your transaction - skimming is very popular in restaurants.
  • When making Internet transactions, ensure you are using a secure server and you completely trust the company you are dealing with.
  • Never leave your personal information around home, work or in the car. Even a friend or neighbor could succumb to the temptation of stealing your personal information if they see it lying around.
  • Always be careful of who is listening to telephone conversations when you are giving out personal details. Who can hear you? Even at home if you have windows and doors open. Who is listening at work when you call your utility company and they need to verify your identity?
  • Remove your name from the marketing lists of the three credit reporting bureaus to reduce the number of pre-approved credit offers you receive.
  • Monitor your credit reports.

What should I shred?

Dumpster Diving is a popular pastime of identity thieves as it presents so many opportunities to find information that can be worth a lot of money. Shred all paperwork that has an account number (bank statements, credit card statements & receipts, utility bills), a signature, your social security number or medical or legal information - as well as any pre approved credit offers.

Pre-Approved Credit Card Offers

These provide an identity thief the perfect opportunity to open a new account in your name without your ever having to know - until the debt collectors come knocking!