Identity theft and fraud are common crimes that people can protect themselves against. Here are some tips to keep personal information and paperwork safe from criminals.
Keep Important Documents in a Safe Place at Home
Documents like birth certificates and cards like social insurance cards should all be kept in a safe place at home. Don’t put them in a place where others can have easy access to them. If there is a suitcase with a lock at home, keep them in there. Don’t carry them around in one’s purse or wallet because if they are stolen, it puts the owner at risk for identity theft and fraud.
Make Photocopies of Cards to Prevent Fraud
It’s a good idea to make copies of documents like birth certificates and marriage certificates, as well as cards like credit cards, driver’s licenses, social insurance cards and debit cards. Scan them with a computer or photocopy them and keep them in a safe place in the home. On the back of the scans or photocopies, write out the contact numbers and web addresses to report lost or stolen cards and documents. Another alternative is to write out all the information, such as account numbers and phone numbers, on to one or two sheets of paper. If important documents are lost or stolen, make sure to phone the appropriate institutions as soon as possible.
Keep Private Information Safe in a Safety Deposit Box
For those with safety deposit boxes at the bank, store another copy of this information there. That way, if there is ever a break-and-enter at the home or if the home is ever destroyed in a fire or other disaster, there is another place to retrieve the important information needed to get new versions of cards and documents.
Protect Mail and Documents from Fraud
Once a person puts their garbage or recycling up for pick up, then they no longer hold any claim on what is inside those bags. There are people who go through recycling and garbage with the goal of finding old credit cards, personal documents and bills. Phone bills to credit card statements can be used to commit fraud.
Shredder Helps Fight Identity Theft
Getting a shredder is a good investment. Shred anything that has one’s name, address or anything remotely personal on it. Keep receipts and bill statements for awhile for recordkeeping and make sure to look them over carefully to make sure that the balances work out correctly. If there is any spending or charges that don’t make sense, contact the institution in question and ask them about it. Once the bills and statements are no longer needed, make sure they are destroyed. Other ways to deal with sensitive paperwork are to burn it in the fireplace or get out the scissors and cut, cut, cut.
When credit cards expire, make sure to cut them up. Cut right through the numbers and the signature. Also cut them into the smallest pieces possible. It may also be a good idea to dispose of the card pieces in different garbage bags.
Alert Post Office to Lost or Stolen Identification
If there is a concern that information like a driver’s license or social insurance card could be compromised, then it’s wise to contact the post office and alert them to the situation. Ask for notification should someone try to make a change to one’s address. No one wants all their mail and important documents going to a thief. As well, if someone loses something like a driver’s license, which is sent out in the mail, the true owner of the license does not want it sent right into a criminal’s hands.
Preventative measures can help protect against fraud. Keep copies of important documents in a safe place in the home and a safety deposit box at a bank. Make sure to shred or destroy all personal paperwork so it can’t be used by criminals for fraud and identity theft.
For more information, check out The Wallet and Preventing Identity Theft and What to do if Wallet Stolen or Purse Lost.
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