| A one hundred percent foolproof method of | | | | information intact, many credit issuers will not |
| preventing identity theft does not exist and | | | | have a problem with a new account application |
| probably never will. But you absolutely need to | | | | showing a different address and different phone |
| take some safeguards that if nothing else, will not | | | | number than what the credit bureau reports. This |
| make you an easy target to becoming a victim | | | | is especially true because it is well known that |
| of identity theft. ID theft is not pleasant, and if it | | | | credit bureau information is not very accurate, |
| occurs to you, you will end up spending countless | | | | and in fact, the majority of consumers have |
| hours of time for months to get it corrected, | | | | ERRORS in their credit reports. |
| possibly also including some respectable legal fees, | | | | So you only find out that you have become a |
| not to mention the damage to your reputation | | | | victim of identity theft because some creditor |
| and credit report, so while the safeguards may be | | | | that you have never heard of is calling you at |
| inconvenient, they are well worth your time to | | | | work to ask when you intend to start making |
| implement. | | | | payments on your account. What a rude surprise! |
| Many people would think that some sort of email | | | | The moral of the story is to be extremely careful |
| or computer-based solution is the best place to | | | | with your personal information. This is particularly |
| start, but in reality, a large percentage of identity | | | | true of government issued identification numbers |
| theft is accomplished with nothing more than a | | | | such as your driver's license number and your |
| watchful eye and some sticky fingers. Identity | | | | social security number. How frequently do you get |
| theft has become an all too common problem in | | | | offers in the mail about being pre-approved for a |
| the last couple of years, and is said by multiple | | | | new credit card? If you are like most people, you |
| studies to be one of the fastest growing crimes | | | | probably get several of these every month. What |
| of this decade. | | | | do you do with them? Do you simply throw them |
| Be fully aware that identity theft is not limited to | | | | in the trash, perhaps ripping them in half first? |
| your Internet or surfing activities. In fact, studies | | | | Most people do exactly that, but the information |
| have shown that people who routinely use | | | | is still very readily available to anyone who has |
| services like online banking and online bill paying | | | | the inclination to go through people's trash looking |
| services (from reputable sites) are actually found | | | | for exactly this type of information. You will |
| to be LESS likely targets for this, since people | | | | probably never get away from the junk mail, but |
| who use such services are more careful with their | | | | for under $50, you can get a paper shredder at |
| personal identification information than Joe | | | | virtually any office supply store, and then put |
| Average. | | | | those offers through that shredder. |
| Basically what happens is simply that someone | | | | Anything you can do to safeguard your personal |
| gets some of your personal information, enough | | | | information makes it far less likely that you will |
| so that they can open accounts, get credit cards | | | | become a target for identity theft. When you |
| or loans, and open those accounts in your name, | | | | think of the small investment in a shredder and |
| obviously without your knowledge of it. Think | | | | the bit of extra time to ensure that you properly |
| about it, what information is required to open a | | | | dispose of such information, compared against the |
| department store credit card or apply for a Visa | | | | MONTHS of personal time required to straighten |
| or Mastercard? Name, address, phone number, | | | | out a mess if you are a victim, the tradeoff is |
| social security number or drivers license number. | | | | more than worth it. |
| With people moving around today, with other | | | | |