1. Manage your mailbox. And we’re actually talking about your snail
mailbox. Every day you receive
correspondence that might contain private information such as bank account
numbers, credit account information, social security numbers, etc. Make sure to pick up your mail
regularly. If you are going to be out of
town, have your mail stopped or make sure that a trustworthy friend is
available to collect your mail so it does not sit in your mailbox for too long. Overflowing mailboxes is an invitation for the
wrong person to sort through your mail.
2. Manage your trash can. Documents that contain sensitive data should
be shredded. Many criminals sort through
trash to harvest valuable data about their next victim. Also, in inclement weather conditions, wind
can pick up your sensitive information and blow it across many blocks and
ultimately into the wrong hands.
3. Watch out when swiping your credit
cards. Skimmer devices can be attached
to the mechanism that you swipe your credit card through to discover your
credit card number for future purchases.
Also, concealed cameras have been found to record your actions when
submitting your passcode on the key pad.
Be alert and keep an eye out for anything that looks suspicious when
paying with your credit card. It’s also
a great idea to have the phone numbers of your credit card companies available
in a secure location in case a card is lost or stolen. In fact, credit and identity fraud protection
is available for a very reasonable investment and some services will even
assist you in reporting a lost or stolen card.
4. Safeguard your purse or wallet. Don’t carry too many credit cards. Limit your traveling inventory to the card(s)
that you use most often. Most department
stores can look up your account information for you if your store card is not
present while shopping.
5. Look over your shoulder often when
transacting at an automated teller machine or while you are keying in any
sensitive information. Be aware of
anyone observing your actions or for the potential for a camera. Move your body around to make it difficult
for those around you to record the full extent of your information while you
are punching the keypad.
These steps are very basic and remain quite
effective at reducing your risk of becoming a victim of fraud. Keep it simple and reduce your risk
