In this day and age identity theft is an extremely common problem in our society. Statistics show that it’ll happen to you or someone you know at least once in their lifetime. With the progression of technology, theft is much easier than it used to be. Below we’ve listed how to protect yourself from identity theft as best as possible this year.
Frequently Change Passwords and Vary Them
It can be tempting to rely on one password for multiple accounts but this is a surefire way for someone that gets access to one, to get access to them all. Never have the same password for two different sites, especially ones that contain identification or billing information. Also making sure to have a continuous cycle of password changes can make all the difference in your online identity safety. Many sites require you change your password every certain amount of days and this is due to the added protection of making sure if someone had your passwords, that they wouldn’t have the correct one after a certain period of time.
Use Multi-Factor Authentication on Eligible Devices and Accounts
This security technique is a method of confirming a user's claimed identity by needing to present two or more pieces of evidence (or factors) to the authentication platform. These usually consist of personal knowledge from childhood, personal facts about yourself, a biometric aspect or possessions. Many accounts offer this type of security; you can find it on your iPhone by going into the security settings. Many bank websites also require two-step or more authentication, this means if someone knows your password they can’t access your account without an additive.
Leave Highly Personal Information Off Social Media
This tip is a given but it never hurts to remind yourself that anything posted online can be easily found by those seeking an identity to steal. Never post pictures of your credit or debit cards, pieces of government issued identification or anything with your social security number clearly visible. Something that may be a little less obvious for the cautious internet user is to never message someone through social media platforms like Facebook Messenger, Snapchat and email with sensitive information. If you’re at all able to, meet in person to exchange this type of information. The key is to not leave a trace of your confidential information on anything as easily traceable as social media.
Never Carry Cards with Your Social Security Number Present
Many times it’s easy for one to forget about this step and just keep all their cards in their wallet thinking that this is plenty of security. The goal is to always keep your social security card in a safe or other heavily secure place in your home. Many like to keep these cards in a locked drawer in their desk in a home office which is a great way to keep your identity safe from harm. You also want to make sure to keep wallets only full of essentials and never anything that you can’t afford to lose. Everyone needs their monetary cards and license with them at all times but your other forms of sensitive identification can stay at home.
Shred Old Documents That Contain Sensitive Content
Our initial intentions with archived bills is to keep them just in case some situation calls for a look back in old files. Although this usually leads to a file drawer full of incredibly old documents that are never utilized and never looked at once paid. It’s important to shred these papers that contain sensitive content as this could potentially be a gold mine of information for identity thieves if they were ever to get their hands on it.
Regularly Check Bank Account and Credit Statements
This is an easy tip and one that every bank account holder should follow anyway. Checking your card statements and accounts often, even daily, can help to monitor for suspicious activity and catch the problem at the very beginning. It’s often the case that fraudulent purchases are made and since the user hadn’t checked their bank account for many days the perpetrator is able to withdraw more and more money before the problem is caught. Frequently checking your accounts for accuracy can make a major difference.
Choose a Credit Card with Fraud Protection
This feature can be a lifesaver when protecting against identity theft and when choosing which credit card you want to use it’s ideal to make sure they offer this benefit. All of the VISA’s® credit cards that Addition Financial offers come with fraud monitoring services as an added benefit. They also come with VISA’s® Zero Liability fraud protection making sure your account is always secure and your identity is virtually impossible to steal.
Identity theft is every person’s worst financial nightmare but it doesn’t have to be as scary with the help of these tips. Furthermore, Addition Financial can offer some added reassurance on top of all these other tips when utilizing their credit cards. We recommend that you compare the available options although they all come with fraud protection, then click here to apply for the Addition Financial card that best suits your needs.
Posted on Mar 8, 2018
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