Identity Theft

1
Protecting Your Identity
www.lifethenfinance.com
2

• If you take some simple steps to protect your
  identity, you can save yourself many headaches in
  the future

3

• 25 Ways to Protect Your Identity

www.lifethenfinance.com
4
Tip 1 Shred Your Junk Mail

• When you get personal mail you dont want, its
  easy to toss it aside or throw it out as-is.
• Always shred these documents so they dont get
  into the wrong hands.

www.lifethenfinance.com
5
Tip 2 Remember to Take Your Receipt

• Certain receipts may contain personal
  information, especially at places like the bank.
  Even some restaurants leave full credit card
  numbers on receipts, so never leave a receipt
  behind.

www.lifethenfinance.com
6
Tip 3 Keep Your Social Security Number Safe

• Keep your social security card in a safe place
  other than your wallet. Also, keep documents
  private that use your social security number.

www.lifethenfinance.com
7
Tip 4 Avoid Giving Personal Information Over
the Phone

• Be wary of anyone who wants to have your personal
  information over the phone, especially if theyre
  calling you and youre not the one placing the
  call.

www.lifethenfinance.com
8
Tip 5 Use Only Reputable Websites

• When online, do your research to ensure that
  youre on the official website of the company
  with which you wish to do business.

www.lifethenfinance.com
9
Tip 6 Keep Track of Your Credit Cards

• Always know the location of your credit and debit
  cards. Never leave them easily accessible in your
  car or desk.

www.lifethenfinance.com
10
Tip 7 Report Lost or Stolen Cards Immediately

• Alert the creditor of each card so they can
  cancel the lost or stolen card and issue you a
  new one.

www.lifethenfinance.com
11
Tip 8 Ensure Youre Dealing With Legitimate
Companies

• Sometimes scammers try to make you believe that
  theyre employees of a certain company when, in
  fact, they have no connection to that company. Do
  your research and check up on these people before
  conducting business.

www.lifethenfinance.com
12
Tip 9 Ask About Privacy Policies

• Almost every business has a privacy policy. See
  what information they need from you and why, so
  you don't disclose more than they need.

www.lifethenfinance.com
13
Tip 10 Keep Track of Your Credit Report

• Keep a current copy of your credit report and
  learn what it all means.

www.lifethenfinance.com
14
Tip 11 Go Over Your Statements Each Month

• Check your statements with a fine tooth comb to
  make sure that theres nothing out of the
  ordinary.

www.lifethenfinance.com
15
Tip 12 Keep Strict Records

• Stay organized and keep strict records of your
  more sensitive business.

www.lifethenfinance.com
16
Tip 13 Join the Do-Not-Call List

• Do what you can to keep solicitations to a
  minimum and keep your phone numbers private and
  away from scammers.

www.lifethenfinance.com
17
Tip 14 Beware of Email Scams

• Never give your personal information in an email
  and be aware of the latest scams circulating
  throughout the net.

www.lifethenfinance.com
18
Tip 15 Always Think Twice Before Handing Out
Personal Information

• Whenever youre asked for information on the
  internet, on the phone, or in person, think twice
  and make sure that youre giving it to a
  legitimate entity.

www.lifethenfinance.com
19
Tip 16 Keep Statements in a Safe Place

• Ensure you have a safe place for any documents
  you must hold onto for safe keeping.

www.lifethenfinance.com
20
Tip 17 Visit Personal Websites Only From Your
Home Computer

• You can conduct personal business online through
  reputable websites, but do it on secure computers
  and not from public or work computers.

www.lifethenfinance.com
21
Tip 18 Never Reply to Email Spammers

• Never send messages to email spammers even if you
  already know its a scam. Its best to report and
  delete these emails immediately.

www.lifethenfinance.com
22
Tip 19 Check Your Computer for Spyware

• Do a periodic check for spyware to make sure that
  no one has infected your computer.

www.lifethenfinance.com
23
Tip 20 Keep Up with the Latest Information

• It seems that new ways to obtain your identity
  surface regularly, so stay tuned to the latest
  information on scammers techniques.

www.lifethenfinance.com
24
Tip 21 Be Wary of New Friends, Especially on
the Internet

• Avoid passing along any personal information for
  obvious reasons!

www.lifethenfinance.com
25
Tip 22 Check Your Purse Often

• Whenever you leave your purse out of sight in any
  place other than your own home, check its
  contents to make sure nothing has been disturbed.

www.lifethenfinance.com
26
Tip 23 Purge All Personal Documents You No
Longer Need

• If you dont need documents anymore, shredding
  them will ensure that no one else will ever see
  them.

www.lifethenfinance.com
27
Tip 24 Keep Your Passwords Hidden

• Keep your passwords in a safe place so no one
  else can conduct business under your name.

www.lifethenfinance.com
28
Tip 25 Use Online Statements

• Using online statements in a secure environment
  prevents having them go through the mail where
  they can be stolen.

www.lifethenfinance.com
29

• Always be aware of your personal information and
  think twice before giving it out to anyone!

www.lifethenfinance.com
30
Self-Reflection Questions

• Am I leaving myself open to identity theft?
• Am I shredding documents enough so they cant be
  pieced together?
• How do I protect my online identity and keep it
  secure?

www.lifethenfinance.com
31
Action Tips

• Ensure that your anti-virus software is updated
  to the latest version.
• Set your virus scanning software to run regular
  scans automatically.
• Delete all spam emails.
• Shred all documents beyond recognition.

www.lifethenfinance.com