Follow these tips to help protect yourself from fraud.
- Carry only necessary information with you. Leave your social security card and unused credits cards at home in a safe and secure location.
- Make photocopies of vital information you carry regularly and store them in a secure place, such as a safety deposit box.
- Do not provide your Social Security number unless absolutely necessary.
- Replace paper invoices, statements and checks with electronic versions, if offered by your employer, bank, utility provider or merchant.
- Shred documents containing personal or financial information before discarding. Most fraud and identity theft incidents happen as a result of mail and garbage theft.
- Review your credit report at least once a year, looking for suspicious or unknown transactions. You can get a free credit report once a year from each of the three major credit bureaus at www.annualcreditreport.com. For a small fee you can obtain a copy at any time directly from:
- Equifax: 1-800-685-1111 or www.equifax.com
- Experian: 1-888-397-3742 or www.experian.com
- TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800 or www.transunion.com
- Place outgoing mail in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox to reduce the chance of mail theft.
- Promptly retrieve incoming mail to limit the opportunity for theft.
- Know your billing and statement cycles. Contact the company’s customer service department if you stop receiving your regular bill or statement.
Today's free download: I found this list on the Wells Fargo Fraud Information Center. This site is a valuable public service that contains much useful advice, such as "How Fraudsters Operate", "How To Protect Yourself", and "Online, Mobile, Computer and Email Security Tips". It is a free education, so check it out.
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