Test Magazine Title June 2013 | Página 4

page four

ways to protect yourself from identity theft
continued from page one

• Filter unwanted e-mail by install-
ing anti-spam software on your
computer. For further protection,
turn your computer’s firewall on
and be sure to install a reliable
antivirus software program that
includes automatic updates.
Always use a secure browser
when conducting online financial
transactions.
•

Destroy records containing pri-
vate financial information by
shredding, and do not dispose of
credit card receipts or ATM state-
ments in public trash receptacles.
Identity thieves “dumpster dive”
to obtain the details they need to
commit fraud.

•

Protect your accounts with passwords or access numbers that
cannot be easily deduced. Avoid
using your Social Security num-
ber, your birth date, your phone
number, your mother’s maiden
name, your children’s names, or
a series of consecutive numbers.
Never carry your Social Security

•

Before disclosing identifying in-
formation to businesses, employers,
or other entities, remember to
ask how the information will be
stored and handled.

Invest in a mailbox with a lock or
rent a P.O. box. Thieves have been
known to intercept confidential
correspondence and offers from
financial services companies in the
mail. Be sure to store sensitive
information in a secure place in
your home, especially if you
travel frequently, have unfamiliar
visitors or people working in
your house.

•

number or passwords with you,
and consider changing all of your
passwords periodically.

•

If your license or another form of
identification is stolen, contact
the appropriate agency immedi-
ately to cancel the document and
order a new one.

•

Keep track of your credit and
ATM cards. Check your credit
card and bank statements thor-
oughly for any suspicious pur
chases or withdrawals.

If you have reason to believe your
identity has been misused, report the
theft immediately to the fraud department of one of the three major
credit bureaus and ask them to place
a “fraud alert” on your file. The alert
will prompt creditors to call you before allowing a new account to be
opened in your name or an existing
account to be altered. Calling just one
bureau is sufficient, as the company
you contact will report the problem
to the other two bureaus. After placing the fraud alert on your file, you
will be entitled to request one free
copy of your credit report from each
of the credit bureaus, even if you have
already received reports that year.
Also, immediately contact creditors
or other companies with accounts
in your name that may have been
affected by the fraud, instructing
them to close the accounts immediately. The next step is to file a report
of the theft with the police in the
community where the crime was
committed. Finally, file a complaint
with the FTC, which maintains a
database used by police and other
law enforcement officials for identity
theft investigations. Be sure to keep
detailed records of your communications with creditors and other
authorities regarding the theft.
To learn more about identity
theft, visit the FTC website at
www.ftc.gov. ?

The information contained in this newsletter is not intended as tax, legal, or financial advice, and it may not be relied
on for the purpose of avoiding any Federal tax penalties. You are encouraged to seek such advice from your professional advisors. The content is derived from sources believed to be accurate. Neither the information presented nor
any opinion expressed constitutes a solicitation for the purchase or sale of any security.
Assets is written and published by Liberty Publishing to help keep you up-to-date on the issues which may affect your financial well-being. The
opinions voiced in this material are for general information only and are not intended to provide specific advice or recommendations for any individual. For specif?ic advice on how to apply this information to your particular circumstances, you should contact your insurance, legal, tax, or financial
professional.
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