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7 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Identity

By managing your personal information carefully and sensibly, you can help guard against identity theft. Here are some simple precautions that can help keep your information safe:

1. Disclose your Social Security number (SSN) only when it is absolutely necessary. Don't have your Social Security number printed on your checks and don't permit your Social Security or credit card numbers to be handwritten on your checks.

2. Thieves can easily pose as legitimate businesses. Never give out your SSN, credit card number, or other personal information over the phone unless you have a trusted business relationship with the company.

3. When creating passwords and PINs, do not use the last four digits of your Social Security number, your mother's maiden name, your birth date, your middle name, your pet's name, consecutive numbers, or anything else that could easily be discovered or guessed by thieves.

4. When shopping, always take credit card receipts with you; never toss them in a public trash container.

5. Return calls from our Fraud Department promptly. They may have detected suspicious activity on your account that could mean someone has stolen your identity.

6. Do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport with you unless necessary.

7. Make photocopies of credit cards, bank account numbers, and investment account numbers and keep them in a SAFE place. Also, keep a list of phone numbers for customer service and fraud departments, so you can contact them quickly in case of theft or fraud.

Posted by Dwayne Calk on 03/04/2008 09:53 AM

Comments (9)

credit, credit scores, loan, loan officer, mortgage, real estate, credit restoration, credit cards, fico, fraud, identity theft

9 Comments on 7 Things You Can Do to Protect Your Identity

Great post, things we all should remember and definately informing our clients who when buying or selling a home are very vulenrable.

03/04/2008 09:55 AM

by Kim Kelley, Realtor (Coldwell Banker Sky Ridge Realty)

The best way to protect your identity would be to use someone elses information so that if it get stolen, it doesn't affect you. LOL ..... OH Wait, this is the prpose of the bog to prevent such an arrangement.

Great points.

Sean Allen

03/04/2008 09:59 AM

by International Financing Solutions

Thanks for the tips, we all should be aware, I have had 2 different credit card numbers lifted over the past 3 years. The company always stood behind me but it can happen so quick

03/04/2008 10:00 AM

by Dick Betts (Dick Betts National Speaker)

Debit cards are the answer to having people write identifying information on the face of and obverse of your check. Plus it takes much longer to tender a check. Ever notice on the front of a social security card that it says "not for identification" yet so often it is used just for that?

03/04/2008 10:08 AM

by Steve Hoffacker - Real Estate Sales & Marketing Consulting and Strategies (Hoffacker Associates)

Dwayne,

Great advice....my wife had her purse stolen in Italy and thank goodness we had made the photocopies....it made it much easier.

03/04/2008 10:08 AM

by Dan Brudnok - Realtor, e-PRO, ABR, CSP - Chester County RE Professional (Keller Williams - Exton - PA License Number #RS225179L )

Dwayne, great heads up for all to use. So often we forget these things. Here in Louisiana if you can believe this, they give you the option of not or do place your SS # on your drivers license.

03/04/2008 10:22 AM

by Frank Rubi Louisiana Real Estate-Homes for Sale (Specialized Real Estate Services, Inc.)

Thanks for the tips. The thefts are happening more and more and we all need to be careful.

03/04/2008 01:50 PM

by Karen Gentry>>Charlottesville, Virginia Real Estate Professional (RE/MAX Excellence-Charlottesville VA)

Also guard your childrens social ss#, there is no need to give this info to all doctors, daycare providers and dentist offices. Just give primary insureds policy#.

03/04/2008 02:49 PM

by DeAndrea "Dee Dee" Jones The Hampton Roads Real Estate Lady! (Wainwright Real Estate)

This is a great reminder before something happens with your identity. I never want to try to undo what someone has done to my personal data. It's a NIGHTMARE.

03/04/2008 05:36 PM

by Latonia Parks (Keller Williams Realty)

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