Posted on March 30, 2014 at 7:03 AM by Jeffrey Rudinski
WPD in currently investigating several identity theft cases. One incident utilized the victims information to purchase vehicles. Be advised that Identity thieves are typically very good at what they do. Below are some tips to keep your personal information safer.
Don’t give out your SSN unnecessarily (only for tax reasons, credit or verified employment.) Before providing personal identifiers, know how it will be used and if it will be shared.
Use a cross-cut shredder to dispose of documents with personal information. Also, use a specialized gel pen when writing out checks.
Place outgoing mail in collection boxes or the U.S. Post Office.
Know your billing cycles and contact creditors when bills fail to show up. Review bank and credit card statements carefully.
Password protect your financial accounts. A strong password should be more than eight characters in length, and contain both capital letters and at least one numeric or other non alphabetical character. Use of non-dictionary words is also recommended.
Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you initiated the contact.
Use firewall software to protect computer information. Keep virus and spyware software programs updated.
Reduce the number of preapproved credit card offers you receive: 888-5OPT-OUT (you will be asked for your SSN)
Order credit reports at least once a year