Stopping Junk Mail May Prevent Criminal Identity Theft

While the recent rise in identity theft has beenhow to turn the odds against scammers looking
thought to be driven primarily by online scammersfor personal information in your mailbox.
and complex computer viruses, it can be easy toBecause junk mail offers that contain
forget that one's mailbox may provide all thepre-approved offers for credit cards that contain
information an identity thief needs.bits of information that could be utilized by identity
According to Connecticut Better Business Bureauthieves, one of the ways for consumers to
President, Paulette Scarpetti, a significant amountprevent theft is to opt themselves out of
of identity thefts are occurring through simplereceiving any pre-approved offers.
thefts from the mailboxes of victims who are,Additionally, direct mail offers can be stopped by
often time, unaware of how much confidentialgetting in touch with the Direct Marketing
information can be stored in their mail every dayAssociation at DMAChoice.com, while "resident"
and ways to prevent theft of this information.mailings can be halted by contacting Valassis Inc
"Many consumers believe that high tech methodsas a method of prevention for identity theft.
account for most identity theft, but old fashionedWhen heading out of town on either business or
methods, such as rifling through someone's mailvacation, consumers should also make sure to
box can yield a wealth of information that aids inremember stopping their mail service while they
the theft of consumers' personal information," saidare gone to prevent criminal identity theft of
Scarpetti.potentially important or confidential information
In order to prevent becoming a victim of criminalfrom being left in an easily accessible spot for a
identity theft through mail theft, the bureauprolonged amount of time.
offered some tips on ways to prevent theft and