Prevent Identity Theft - Guide for Preventing ID Theft

Preventing identity theft, both personally and commercially, is similar to protecting your home or business against theft. Home and business owners normally safeguard against material possession theft by completing well-known guidelines in a basic plan to keep burglars from breaking into a house or building. This basic plan usually involves researching the neighborhood or area for crime statistics (knowledge of warning signs), installing secure locks (proactive defense against possible crime), reporting any unusual behavior from people around home/business (measures taken to catch thieves), and actively maintaining awareness for protecting property (consciously securing the property in all ways possible). It seems so natural to want to protect your property, right? We all do it for our personal/business belongings and don't think twice. Why is it, then, that most Americans don't follow this same plan for preserving their identities? To prevent id theft is just as important. It can also be just as simple as protecting your home/business if you follow these steps to prevent identity theft.

Identity theft protection can be accomplished. Take the time to understand the ways to prevent identity theft. According to the U.S. Department of Treasury, there are some basic tips to prevent identity theft. Here is an outline of how to prevent identity theft.

Knowledge Of Warning Signs to Id Theft

• Your bank or financial institution calls you about an unusual transaction.
• A collection agency calls about an unpaid bill.
• Your credit report shows a new account that you did not open.
• Unauthorized charges on account statements/credit cards.

Proactive Defense Against Possible Identity Crime

• Check your credit report at least once annually to see that none of the above warning signs have happened to you.

Measures to Catch Identity Thieves

• Closely and frequently monitor your financial accounts, bank statements, and credit card bills.
• Contact your financial institution or credit card company if anything abnormal is recognized (both on the phone and in writing).
• Always sign your new credit and debit cards when first in possession.
• Some ways in how to prevent identity theft by guarding your information:
• Don't leave financial papers lying around for public view.
• Don't keep information you don't need to use in your wallet/purse.
• Don't leave credit/debit receipts at any public place.
• Memorize your financial and personal pins/passwords, as well as your social security number - don't carry your social security number with you - ever.
• Don't give out your social security number unless you have determined the financial institution needs it for tax reporting or identifying AND after you have asked questions on how the number will be protected and why they need it.
• Shred personal records you don't use.
• Be careful when giving personal information over the phone or Internet.
• Your financial institutions and credit card companies will NOT email you for your personal information-they already have it.
• Protect your mail and shred credit card offers if you aren't going to use them.
• Prevent Id theft on-line by sticking to these protection measures:
• Use common sense and protect your computer just like other personal information.
• Use a Firewall
• Make sure software and operating systems are always updated.
• Use anti-spam software.
• Use passwords with combinations of numbers and letters AND don't use the same password for all accounts - change them frequently, if possible.
• Clean your hard drive before disposing of an old computer.
• Use parental controls.

Consciously Securing Your Personal Information In ALL WAYS POSSIBLE.

• Identity theft protection can only happen if you are always aware of how you protect and handle your personal information. Start today.
• It is beneficial to look into having a professional identity theft company to defend your identity. Preventing identity theft is their specialty. Even if you have the time (most of us don't) to complete these steps to prevent identity theft, you could still have your identity deceitfully taken right from under your nose. We recommend the experts at LifeLock. You can check into their service at:
LifeLock