Identity Theft 4: 14 Ways to Prevent Personal Identity Theft

Posted on by TLThomas

Now that the Theft of your Identity has been discovered, and your personal Identity has been recovered, the next question is

How Can Identity Theft Be Prevented?

It is said that the best offense is a good defense.

I say, “The best offense is to be PROACTIVE in your defense.”

Prevent Identity Theft: Take Action  NOW!

In order to prevent Identity Theft, in Real-Life, we need to be proactive, taking action before anything happens, and not be reactive, forever trying to catch up.

  • We need to identify actions we can take NOW to minimize the necessity of Identity Theft Recovery.
  • We need to identify actions we can take NOW to minimize the distress that Identity Theft Recovery causes.
  • We need to identify actions we can take NOW to prevent the time, effort, and  hassle that Identity Recovery requires.

And, then

  • We need to ACT on that knowledge!
  • We need to act BEFORE there is a problem.

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Children and Teens can also be the targets of Identity Theft.

Many of the specific steps you can take to protect their Identity and future access to credit are the same as for adults.

Click links above for specific info re Identity Theft of Minor Children.

14 Ways to Prevent Personal Identity Theft

1. Keep your mail safe: Collect unsecured mail every day. 

  • Use a lockable mailbox or consider having your mail delivered to a PO Box. (Your address may have been co-opted by a simple change-of-address form. For more info see here, here, and here.)
  • Place a hold on your mail when you are away from home for several days.

Special Info re children  

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Keep your minor child(ren)’s addresses and mail safe.

  • Watch for unsolicited credit offers addressed to your child(ren), as well as other mail from an unknown source.

2. Review your Bank Account Statements EVERY MONTH

  • Use on-line banking (with strong passwords – see # 12 below).
  • If you get hardcopy statements by USPS, know the timing of your statement cycle and follow up whenever statements are late (see # 1 above).
  • ALWAYS reconcile Bank(s) accounts (checking and savings) by comparing receipts with account statements for discrepancies.
  • Challenge errors and have them corrected. 
  • See the Federal Trade Commission for further information.

3. Compare both your Debit Card Transactions and your Credit Card Transactions with your Bank Account Statements EVERY MONTH.

  • Reconcile your Debit Card Transactions with your Bank Account Statements EVERY MONTH.
  • Reconcile your Credit Card Transactions with your Bank Account Statements EVERY MONTH.
  • Know the difference – Credit Card Fraud vs Debit Card Fraud
  • Understand that Debit Cards operate a little differently than Credit Cards.
  • Realize that Debit Cards and Credit Cards have different rules regarding stolen or unauthorized use of the cards.
  • Differences between the two are considered here and here.

4. Watch for unauthorized transactions, no matter how small.

  • If a small amount is not contested, then an attempt with a larger amount may be next.                
  • Sign up for Automatic Transaction Alerts or use the authorized secure website and check your account at least every couple of days.

5. Check your Credit Reports.

  • You are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). 
  • You can also request free annual credit reports at AnnualCreditReport.com.  
  • You can stagger the yearly checks with the reporting agencies in order to get a report every three to four months or so.
  • Check them over completely.
  • Look for persons who have a similar name but WHO ARE NOT YOU listed on your report, as well as other errors in your personal information.
  • Check for accounts that you did NOT open.
  • Report errors and request corrections to the report.

Special Info re children

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Check the Credit Reports of Minor Children.

  • Minor children, too, are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three credit reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian, TransUnion). 
  • A free Credit Report can also be requested at AnnualCreditReport.com. 
  • You can, again, stagger the yearly checks with the reporting agencies in order to get a report every three to four months or so.
  • Credit fraud done in a child’s name can set them up for a lifetime of Identity Theft problems, as well as difficulties in obtaining credit and student loans.

6. Freeze or lock your credit files (for free).                        

  • Along with monitoring your credit reports, you can freeze your credit files (for free) at  Equifax, Experian, TransUnion.   
  • Credit freezes prevent someone from applying for and getting approval for a credit account or utility services in your name.
  • Or lock your credit (not freeze) instead. (Lock or Freeze comparison)
  • Be sure to un-freeze (or unlock) your files when you are applying for a mortgage or other loan, as well as any new credit application. (This may help you stop to think: Do I really need to have another credit card?)

NOTE: You can freeze your Social Security Number too.

Special Info re children

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Freeze (or lock) the credit account files of your minor child(ren).

  • This keeps their Identity from being stolen and their credit destroyed before they ever get to use it.
  • Monitor their credit files and accounts, especially around their teen years. This protects them from predatory “friends” and keeps their credit clear for college loans, etc.
  • Be sure to un-freeze (or unlock) their files when they are applying for college loans, as well as all (parent-approved 😉) credit applications.

7. Shred! Shred! Shred!

  • Shred all documents containing personal information before disposing of them.
  • This is to prevent “dumpster divers” from accessing your info.
  • Use a crosscut shredder to shred receipts, credit offers, account statements, expired credit cards, etc.

8. Keep your personal information private.

  • Keep birth certificates, immigration documents, insurance policy information, and other personal data in a safe place, such as, in a fire-proof safe at home, a bank deposit box, or another secure location.
  • Keep your Social Security Number (SSN) secure. (SSN Self Lock)
  • Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet.

NOTE:

  • Your SSN is required only for employment, taxes, etc. NEVER let a business, etc. use your SSN as an Identity Number for their identification purposes.
  • In the past, Social Security Numbers were often used as identifiers, especially for medical use. You are NOT required to provide your SSN to medical offices.
  • Have them use their own identifier number, or walk away from a medical provider having such an archaic system (as I have).
  • You have to wonder, are their medical knowledge and practices archaic too?

Special Info re children

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Keep your child(ren)’s personal information private.

  • Keep minor children’s birth certificates, immigration documents, and other personal data in a secure location.
  • Keep their Social Security number (SSN) safeguarded.
  • Only give out their SSN when required.

NOTE:

  • A child’s SSN is required for tax purposes, and FYI, only one person can claim that child with that SSN per tax year.
  • A child can be enrolled in school without providing an SSN.

9. Be on the lookout for contact from unknown email addresses, phone numbers, or SMS numbers.

         

Email: How to Get Less Spam in Your Email  

        

Phone: Phone Scams, Toll Fraud, Spam Texts, SMS Scams, and “smishing”

  • Never give out personal information via email, phone call, or text – even if they claim to be your bank or any other financial institution.
  • Contact the institution using contact info from their website. Do NOT use the contact information given via the email, phone call, or text.
  • Unsolicited phone calls and emails could be scams, so watch out for them.
  • You can (try to) stop phone calls through the National Do Not Call Registry.  

10. Keep Your Identity Information off Social Media

  • Be social media savvy.
  • Do make use of social media privacy settings.
  • Limit or don’t share personal/familial information (birthdate, anniversary, or your school/ college, or your address), online (or any time you are asked).
  • Don’t post photos/ info re your travel and vacation while you are away. Trolls could be checking social media to see if you are at home.

NOTE:

  • Just because someone asks for information, doesn’t mean you are required to give it.
  • You can always reply to inappropriate questions of all types (How much money do you make? Are you pregnant?) with one of your own:
  • Whyever do you want to know?

Special Info re children

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Keep Your Child’s Identity Information off Social Media

  • Set strict social media privacy settings.
  • Monitor/ control your child’s social media accounts and gaming by using 2FA (with parental safeguarding the second factor) for online access.
  • Teach your child to limit what they share on social media, such as birthday, age, school, activities, etc.
  • Just because someone asks you a question, you don’t need to answer it.
  • Just because someone asks you for something, you don’t need to give it.

Web Resources

The Kids Guide to Staying Safe

Child Rescue Coalition – good multi resource

Child Welfare – good gov resource

Kids and social media: Online safety tips every parent should know 

Teaching Kids to Be Smart About Social Media

11. Install and Keep your security, anti-virus and spyware software up-to-date.

  • Do not click any “security” links that appear while you are online.
  • Update the sharing and firewall settings when you’re on a public wi-fi network.
  • Use a virtual private network (VPN), if you use public wi-fi. Consider getting a VPN for your phone, as well.
  • Look for possible malware symptoms: such as a computer or device that slows down, crashes, or displays error messages; fails to shut down or restart; shows pop-ups or other unwanted ads; opens web pages you didn’t search for; displays new, unanticipated toolbars; resets your default web browser; or a battery that is quickly drained.
  • Enable two-factor authentication (2FA) (or MFA: Multi-Factor Authentication) on devices and email, social media accounts, bank accounts, and credit card accounts. An example of 2FA at work is when you sign into an account with a password and then receive a text with a code you must supply to get into the account.
  • Use (and automatically update) the security features on your mobile devices: phone, tablets, etc.

12. Create complex passwords and logins that identity thieves cannot guess.

  • Keep your passwords safe by avoiding using information related to your identity, such as the last four digits of your Social Security number, your birthday or family birthdays, your initials, or parts of your name, family names, important dates, or addresses.
  • Create a different password for EACH of your accounts and change them monthly (or at least SOMETIME, if not often).
  • Change your passwords if a company that you do business with has a breach of its databases.
  • Keep them long, at least 15 characters. Use a combination of letters, numbers and symbols.
  • Also avoid using obvious keyboard patterns for your passwords: “qwerty,” or “asdfgh,” for example.
  • Do not store your passwords on your computer or cell phone.
  • Use biometric or password access for your phone and/or electronic devices. This will provide some security if the device is lost or stolen. 
  • Also, take advantage of system updates to make sure your phone has the latest security systems.
  • Do you need a Password Manager? You can read about them here, here, and here.

Special Info re children

Protect Your Children from the Theft of Their Identity                                     

Create, Control, and Monitor the passwords used by minor children.

  • They may have learned password protocols, but may not use them.
  • Limit the private/ sensitive information/ data on devices used by children.

13. Remove data from electronic devices before donating or disposing. 

  • Deleting files is not sufficient to remove private information.

NOTE:

Files that are merely deleted remain on the device. Deleted files can be searched for information with a data recovery program (you know, the one you hoped would work, back in the day, when the “blue screen of death” spelled doom for your old PC).

14. Use one credit card for online shopping.

  • Monitor closely its transactions.
  • Set up Transaction Alerts for text notification upon card number use.
  • NEVER use a Debit Card for any online transaction

Final Thoughts

I hope now you Know Who You Are.

I hope you never have to Recover Your Personal Identity.

I hope you never have to Recover Your Spiritual Identity.

I hope I have given you the tools you need to Prevent the Theft of Your Personal Identity.

I invite you to return to My Word On The Word to Check Out the soon-to-be-published parallel tools to Prevent the Theft of Your Spiritual Identity.

Blessings,

       

TLThomas

      

It’s ok to doubt, if you check it out!

         

Be a Berean!

         

10 The brethren immediately sent Paul and Silas away by night to Berea, and when they arrived, they went into the synagogue of the Jews.

11 Now these were more noble-minded than those in Thessalonica, for they received the word with great eagerness, examining the Scriptures daily to see whether these things were so.

                   Acts 17:10, 11 NASB

        

Please join me in this journey of discovery.

  • What would you like to learn about next?
  • What is something you may have a doubt about, or even ‘just wondering’?
  • Have Questions? Fill out the form to sign up for my blog notifications and ask me your questions by email.
  • In any case, take what I say and CHECK IT OUT FOR YOURSELF!

© TLThomas 2023

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