Minimize your risk of becoming a victim of identity theft
- Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, email, or over the Internet unless you’ve initiated the contact or you are sure you know with whom you are dealing.
- Don’t carry your Social Security card; leave it in a secure place.
- Carry only the identification information and the number of the credit card or debit card that you’ll actually need.
- Keep your purse or wallet in a safe place.
- Tear or shred charge receipts, copies of credit applications or credit offers you get in the mail, insurance forms, physician statements, checks and bank statements, and expired charge cards that you are discarding. This deters thieves from obtaining your personal information.
For more information on identity theft or fraud, you may check the following Federal Trade Commission link: https://www.consumer.ftc.gov/topics/identity-theft
