Avoid Identity Theft

Your personal information is valuable, particularly to would-be thieves. Learn how to protect yourself and your personal information.

You lock your door when you leave your house; you hold your purse tightly on a busy street. You probably ask the neighbors to pick up your newspapers when you’re out of town.

We all have certain habits to protect our personal possessions and avoid theft, but what about everyday practices to protect against identity theft?

Follow these best practices and get in the habit of protecting your personal information to avoid identity theft:

• Don’t carry more credit cards than you need.
• Shred all mail and account statements that contain personal information.
• Record all personal and account information electronically and keep a hard copy in a safe, secure place.
• Create strong passwords (don’t use your pet’s name or your birthdate or other easily guessed words) and change your passwords regularly.
• Don’t share your passwords.
• Record your passwords in a secure location, or in an encrypted file on your computer. Don’t write them down and keep them under your keyboard or in a desk drawer.

For more information on how to keep your information safe and advice for what to do if you are a victim of identity theft, visit http://credit.equifax.com/2010/10/avoid-identity-theft-get-in-habit-of.html