It’s a fact of life now that you have to work hard to protect your identity. There are too many people out there trying to use your identity to steal your money, credit, and reputation. Here are some helpful tips you can use to protect yourself from identity theft.
What Do Scammers Steal?
Tax ID theft occurs when people try to file a tax return under false credentials. The Internal Revenue Service is working hard to crack down on this. If they find a federal tax return that seems to duplicate your name or social security number, they will stop processing the return and send a letter to your home. It is up to you to follow the directions in the letter and verify your identity. You can get more information about this process from the IRS here.
Medical ID theft is commonly used to gain medical service or to issue fake bills to your insurance. They may also use your identity to buy prescription drugs illegally. This can cause problems for you and damage your credit. In addition, if the wrong information ends up in your personal medical records, it could cause a medical emergency for you.
Social ID theft is a growing problem with more and more people using social media and online transactions. In this case, the thief will use your personal information, including your name and image to create a fake social media account. They will use this account to scam people that know and trust you or open other fake accounts.
Protect Yourself and Prevent Identity Theft
There are a few steps you can take to prevent identity theft.
Paper Trails
Make sure that old receipts, account statement, expired debit or credit cards, and other sensitive pieces of information are shredded. People will go through the garbage to find this information. Make sure your Social Security Number is protected. Don’t carry it with you and don’t give it out unless it is necessary.
If you usually receive a paper bill and it is late, contact the company sending the bill. Someone may have stolen the mail to get your information. On a related note, don’t let your mail pile up and if you are going to be out of town, have the Post Office hold your mail.
Computer Hackers
Protecting yourself online can seem to be a daunting task, but you don’t have to be a computer genius to set up some guards. Make sure that you have anti-virus software installed on your computer. A couple of popular and effective ones include Avast and Symantec, but just about any antivirus is better than having nothing!
Other things you can do to protect yourself online is to make sure your passwords aren’t easy to figure out like “password1” or the name of your dog. If a company that you have an account with is hacked, change your passwords. Also, don’t give your information freely. Hackers can use answers to questions that seem innocent like your mother’s maiden name, birth dates, old teachers’ names, and so on to answer security questions on your accounts.
Protect Yourself at ATMs
You’ve probably seen or heard the news stories about “skimmers” being found on ATMs and gas pumps. What can you do to protect yourself against this growing method of stealing data? A skimmer is a device that can steal the information on the magnetic strip on the debit or credit card. With your PIN number and that data, they can use your account information for their own gain.
The most common method of skimming involves two devices: one captures your PIN and the second gets the data on your card. They can sit nearby with a laptop and get your information as you enter it. Here are some tips to keep your data and your money safe:
Here are some tips to keep your data and your money safe:
1. Hide your PIN. If you cover the pad as you enter the numbers, the thieves won’t be able to steal the digits and get into your account.
2. Check your balances. You usually only have a two-day window to report a fraudulent transaction, after 60 days, you may have no recourse. You can come into your favorite Family Credit Union branch and ask about setting up alerts.
3. Use ATMs at Branch Locations. We know how convenient it is to use an ATM at a restaurant or gas station, but you really should avoid it. Those are easy to access for thieves and usually don’t have video surveillance. Using an ATM like the ones at The Family Credit Union lower the risk for a skimmer being used.
4. Trust your gut. If something doesn’t look or feel right, go to another ATM. You may think that an ATM looks “off” or it doesn’t feel right when you insert card. Keep an eye out for people looking over your shoulder or if they just seem out of place. Nothing says you have to use that ATM, so go somewhere that feels safer or wait for your financial institution to open.
It’s Your Money and Identity, Keep It Safe
You’ve worked hard for your money and reputation, don’t let a scam artist steal what is yours. Protect your identity and finances with common sense and safeguards. Feel free to stop in and talk with us about other ways you can protect yourself with the help of The Family Credit Union!
