The new movie “Identity Thief” makes for a good laugh; unfortunately, experiencing Identity Theft is anything but funny. We often use this blog to pass along good hints and tips from the Identity Theft Resource Council. One of our favorites of course is their acronym: SHRED.
S: Strengthen passwords online. Don’t use the same password on multiple sites.
H: Handle personally identifying information with care. In particular, do not carry your Social Security card on your person and be wary of your child’s social security number too. Especially on social media, be wary of the information you are sharing.
R: Read your credit report annually.
Consumers are entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit reporting bureaus through the website AnnualCreditReport.com.
E: Empty your purse or wallet. Travel with only what you absolutely need in terms of id and credit cards.
D: Discuss these tips with family and friends.
Identity theft isn’t on everyone’s radar, but it should be. Make sure friends and family know that they should protect their identity the same way they would protect other valuables.
For more hints and tips visit www.hvshred.com