Columnists

Protect Your Most Valuable Asset Of All – Your Identity

Issue 48.12

A stolen identity can mean a nightmare scenario of theft, fraudulent accounts, ruined credit and reputations. In recent years, identity theft has become an all-too-common crime, one that can take months and even years to discover and repair the damages.

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your Social Security number or other identifying information for financial gain. The good news is you can lessen the likelihood of identity theft by being vigilant and taking precautions, such as the following steps:

Protect your Social Security number (SSN)

Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet and avoid carrying other cards that contain your SSN, such as health insurance cards, except when you need them..

Never give out your SSN, credit card number or other personal information over the phone, unless you have an established relationship with the business and/or initiated the call.

Avoid using your SSN on job applications and provide only when necessary – on tax forms, employer records, student records, stock and property transactions, etc.

Do not allow a financial institution to use your SSN as an account number.

If a government agency requests your SSN, look for a Privacy Act notice. This will state whether a SSN is required, how it will be used, how it will be protected and what happens if you don’t provide it.

Review your credit annually by asking the three national credit reporting agencies – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – for a copy of your credit report. Each of these agencies is required to provide one free credit report a year upon request.

Protect your trash – destroy unwanted documents

Invest in a high-quality, crosscut shredder.

Shred everything that has your name and address on it, including: statements and invoices; pre-approved credit offers; neighborhood lists, etc.

American Family Insurance has produced a three-part series of informational videos on identity theft. The videos are available on www.amfam.com/learning-center/my-security/default.asp

The video series is designed to raise awareness of what identity theft is, how to recognize the signs, and how consumers can protect themselves from becoming a victim of this ever-growing crime.

The video series is designed to raise awareness of what identity theft is, how to recognize the signs, and how consumers can protect themselves from becoming a victim of this ever-growing crime.  For more information call Orville Lucus at 435-688-8182.

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