In this new age of technology w
here your identity is now extended well beyond your physical being to include a wealth of information about you that can be made available to just about any person with the means to obtain it, identity theft is more prevalent than ever. With the increase of credit and debit cards, online bill paying, internet shopping and personal information being available digitally, people are vulnerable in ways they never have been before.
That’s why it’s so important that you take the necessary steps to protect your identity. Identity theft affects millions of people every year, and it can be as simple as have your credit or debit card skimmed and used for fraudulent purchases without your knowledge. If you can catch these purchases in time and put a stop to them, you can often recover the funds or have the charges canceled by the credit card company. However, some people aren’t so lucky and can end up having their lives destroyed and their credit all but ruined.
Identity theft and moving
Protecting yourself from identity theft, while important all of the time, is even more important to watch out for while you are moving. Moving can be a stressful time in a person’s life, and there are a lot of changes you have to make, not just physically and emotionally, but financially as well. When you are preparing to move, there is paperwork to fill out and countless forms to complete to change your address, update your bank accounts and notify all of your contacts of your new address.
In the process of all this paperwork and address changing, there is bound to be a lot of information about you, very personal and confidential information like your address, bank account number and credit card information, changing hands. Make sure that when you handle all of these things that you are vigilant about whom you give your personal information too and also make sure that you don’t accidentally throw out any documents that contain personal information about you without first shredding it.
During the often hectic and chaotic moving process, you are bound to be very busy with other things and it’s often easy to forget about something like guarding your identity from identity thieves, but it is one of the most important things.
Tips on avoiding identity theft
Being vigilant when it comes to your identity is the most important part of avoiding identity theft. Making sure you are careful with your online finance accounts and protecting your passwords can prevent your account numbers from getting stolen. Don’t check your online bank accounts from public computers and always make sure that you are careful when withdrawing money from ATMs. Watch for any suspicious activity in your vicinity and shield the keypad when entering your PIN number. If you notice any suspicious devices on the ATM that don’t look like they should be there, try to find another one.
Try to refrain from using your debit card to make online purchases or at gas stations and restaurants, as these are the most likely places for your card to be skimmed. Also, make sure to check up on your accounts frequently to monitor for any strange purchases that you don’t recognize. Some banks will only recuperate your funds up to 60 days after the fraudulent purchase was made, so it’s important to act quickly.
Also, identity theft protection services like
LifeLock can help monitor your finances and your credit activity for you, so you don’t have to worry about it. Services like the one LifeLock offers can restore you with the peace of mind in knowing that your personal identity is being guarded around the clock, 24/7. If any fraudulent activity involving your name, bank account or social security number is detected, you are immediately notified and the issue is resolved.
Services like these can be invaluable and extremely useful ways for you to protect your identity. Your identity is the most important thing you have, so protecting it should be your number one priority, especially in this day in age where technology rules and any kind of information you want is right at your fingertips. This, of course, is a great resource to have, but when it comes to your identity, sometimes it can be scary. That’s why it’s important to protect yourself and your identity at all costs, because it often means protecting your future as well.
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