How to avoid becoming an identity theft statistic

Identity theft is a growing crime, especially with how enhanced technology has become. It is easy for a person to have their identity stolen. Identity theft mainly affects a person’s fiancé, as when someone’s identity is stolen, his credit cards become maxed out. This will ruin his credit rating, and money can be stolen from the victim’s bank account. There are many ways for people to avoid becoming an identity theft statistic.

Avoiding identity theft

Protect your social security number One of the easiest ways for someone to assume the identity of another person is through the use of his social security number. Social security numbers appear on a lot of important financial documents, So, keep important financial documents such as bank statements and credit card statement in a safe place, will help to keep your social security number from getting into the wrong hands. Moreover, avoid giving out your social security number over the phone and over the Internet, unless you are sure of the reason it is being used for. Beware of scam artists

Scam artists are everywhere looking for their next victims. A scam artist will usually call or email a person pretending to be a representative from a company which the victim has done business with before, and he will try to get personal information verified. What he is really doing is stealing the person's information which is being given to him. If you receive phone call from someone pretending to be a representative from a company, then ask for a return phone number and call him right back to make sure he actually works for the company he claims to work for. Moreover, always be suspicious of a person asking for information which the company should already have.

Stop identity theft before it starts

Check credit report Identity theft can be prevented before it starts. It just takes a few minutes for a person to be aware of the things he should do to protect his identity. Obtaining a free copy of your credit report and checking it regularly, is a good way to prevent identity theft. If a person finds accounts which do not belong to him or accounts being used while he is not the one using the account, then action should be taken to dispute the account activity. Be safe online If you are the kind of person who conducts a lot of business online, you must be caution in doing so. Do not send important information through emails, since emails are not secure. Moreover, do not shop and provide credit card payment information on unfamiliar websites.