5 Tips to Secure Your Identity

[valentinement]

by Harvey Warmuth
As you live your daily life, you need to be aware of the steps that you can take to not become identity thefts next victim. There are several common sense steps that you can take to minimize the risk to your identity. Only you truly care about the security of your personal information, so make sure you do what you can to ensure its safety.

Because it is up to you to make sure your identity is safe, you should consider following the below suggestions.

1. Personal information in mail: The mail you receive on a daily basis probably contains a lot of personal information. This includes bank statements and credit card applications which can be used to steal your identity. Consider opting out of receiving credit card applications and start getting your bank statements delivered electronically, so that you eliminate a lot of your personal information from the regular mail.

2. Debit card used as a credit card: Using your debit card as a credit card to make purchases places you at risk of having your card number stolen. Since the money from a debit card purchase comes directly out of your bank account, your money could be gone in a hurry. If you use a normal credit card, you are better protected in case your card number is stolen.

3. Stop using checks: A check contains both your account and bank routing number, which can easily be used by a criminal to drain your bank account. There is no reason to use checks to make purchases with when you should really be using a credit card, which offers greater protection.

4. Virtual credit cards: A lot of banks and financial institutions are offering virtual credit cards. You are issued a one-time use credit card number that you can use to make purchases online. This keeps your real credit card numbers out of the hands of thieves.

5. Identity kit: You need to have a record of all of your important financial account numbers so they are easy to get to if you ever need them. You should also keep copies of important documents such as your drivers license, birth certificate and social security number. You dont want to be caught without this information if you ever need it in a hurry.

The suggestions listed above are a great way to start making changes in your life to ensure that your identity is secure. Another step that you can take to make sure you never become a victim of identity theft is to make use of an identity theft security plan offered by a reputable company. Take the necessary steps to ensure your identity is safe.

[misombra]

geez man haven't i banned you like a million times already!?