Six Tips to Protect Identity Theft
Modern technology has
made our lives easier, but it has also made it easier for thieves to commit
what the U.S. Postal Service has called the fastest- growing crime in
America—identity theft.
If you ever become a
victim of identity theft, would you know what to do to help restore your name?
There are many issues that may need to be addressed, such as:
- Understanding your rights as a victim
- Filling out paperwork, including police
reports
- Issuing a Fraud Alert to the three major
credit bureaus, financial institutions and credit card companies, as well
as the Social Security Administration, Department of Motor Vehicles,
Federal Trade Commission and U.S. Postal Service
- Obtaining copies of your credit bureau
reports and working with the three major credit bureaus to restore the
accuracy of your credit history
You can also get help if
you become a victim. As this crime grows increasingly common, consumers, who
spent up to 300 million hours trying to resolve problems created by identity
theft in 2003 (Federal Trade Commission), are looking for options for dealing
with the costs and hassles related to this problem.
Some insurance
companies, including Allstate and Farmers, offer identity restoration coverage.
This type of coverage, often added for an additional fee to homeowners,
renters or condominium insurance coverage can provide customers access to
identity restoration assistance and reimburse them for some expenses incurred
to help restore their identity.
While this coverage can
help victims of identity theft recover their lives, it is still up to
individuals to protect themselves. The following six tips can help make you
less vulnerable to identity theft:
- Don't carry unneeded credit
cards
- Cancel all unused, lost or
stolen credit card accounts immediately
- Keep Social Security cards,
birth certificates and other personal documents in a secure lock box or
safety deposit box. Don't carry them, or duplicates, in a wallet
- Check credit histories
periodically and report any unauthorized activity.
- Keep careful track of all
receipts. Store them in a safe place or destroy them before putting them
in the trash
- Do not give out Social
Security numbers or other information to any person or company unless you
are familiar with them and you have initiated the conversation
For more information,
visit www.allstate.com.
