There is little that preys on the mind of the modern consumer quite as much as identity theft. It seems like every week in the news you hear about a new scandal involving identity theft. Our electronic age has made both fraud and identity theft easier than ever for the unscrupulous, particularly when they are out shopping for items such as Vynckier enclosures online or through the mail.
Identity theft hits us at several different levels. First of all, its discovery can leave us feeling quite violated. It can take a while and several appointments with an Oakville naturopath before we start feeling like trusting any medium again. And of course there is the issue of credit repair and name damage. Although most companies are fairly good about forgiving fraudulent charges, every once in a while false charges on your card will come back to haunt your credit records. Here are a few ways you can guard against identity theft.
First of all, never give out passwords, credit card numbers, and so on over the cell phone. While it's unlikely that your call will be picked up by someone else, it can happen. Also, devices such as a global SIM card can sometimes inadvertently store information given during calls, which means that your next user can tap into that information if he or she has the technical knowledge.
Next, make sure you properly shred all your documents before you throw them into the garbage. Don't just look at your credit card statement to confirm what you spent at that Mississauga dentist's office last month and then throw it in the garbage. Instead, tear it up first. Identity theft has been known to occur when people go through the trash of others' and find important information which was sent through the mail.
Always remember to check on all your credit card statements, bank reports, and other financial information. If you come across a charge billed to mortgage brokers in Toronto that you don't remember authorizing, phone both the credit card company and the business itself. Even if it's just a memory lapse, you are much better safe than sorry.
Finally, make sure to pick your passwords carefully. A lot of people use their birthdays or worse their addresses, forgetting that this information is easily found by people who want to use your information for their benefits. You want your passwords easy to remember, but hard to figure out. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols hard to guess at by even sophisticated technology.
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