Identity Theft: Protect Yourself – Part 1 of 2

A representative from Attorney General Roy Cooper’s office at the North Carolina Department of Justice came to our office recently and discussed identity theft issues.  This was a very interesting topic, one in which most people are not fully informed about.  They handed out a one-page (front-and-back) summary of ways to protect against identify theft, and also certain items related to your credit and information online.

Page 1 as follows (Source: NC DOJ)

Social Security Number

• Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet.
• Give your Social Security Number (SSN) only when absolutely necessary.
• Ask why a SSN is needed, who has access to it, and how it is kept confidential.
• Don’t print your SSN or driver’s license number on your checks.
• Shred old bank statements, insurance forms, credit applications, etc. To hear about upcoming shred-a-thons in your area, email alerts@ncdoj.gov and provide your county.

Finances

• Limit the number of credit cards you carry.
• Watch billing cycles for missing bills and review monthly statements for odd charges. Contact creditors if you are missing a bill or if there are charges you don’t recognize.
• Use automatic deposit for payroll, social security, or other federal benefit checks. Sign up for automatic deposit of federal checks by calling Go Direct at 1-800-333-1795.
• Copy credit cards (front and back) and keep them in a safe place in case a card is lost or stolen.
• Report credit card receipts that print your full credit card number to Consumer Protection at 1-877-566-7226.
• Review your Social Security Earnings and Benefits Statement for errors in your yearly salary. To order a statement, call 1-800-772-1213.

Passwords

• Don’t carry your personal identification numbers (PIN) in your wallet or purse.
• Don’t share PINs or passwords, even with close friends or relatives.
• Avoid PINs or passwords such as your mother’s maiden name, family members’ birth dates, SSN, phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers (i.e., 1, 2, 3, 4). They are too accessible.
• Choose a different PIN for each account.

MAIL

• Call 1-888-5-OPT-OUT or www.optoutprescreen.com to stop pre-approved credit card offers.
• Place outgoing mail into a locked mailbox such as a blue postal service box.
• Don’t leave income mail sitting in an unlocked mailbox.
• Cut down on junk mail by mailing your first and last name, home address and signature to Mail Preference Service, Direct Marketing Association, PO Box 643, Carmel, NY 10512. There is a dollar fee for processing this request by mail.

More to come in Part 2 of this two-part series.  Come back for more on your credit report, your information online, and scams & frauds.