Identity theft is the largest consumer complaint in the United States. According to the Federal Trade Commission, in 2007, 32 percent of consumers filed a complaint involving identity theft. Protecting your identity and credit scores involves knowing where your money is going and where you have used any credit cards.
Read Your Credit Card Statements
Check your credit card statement for any charges that dont make sense to you. Identity thieves will often charge very small amounts in order to verify that the card works. Ask your credit card company to alert you to any strange activity on your card.
Card Protections
When shopping online, take advantage of card protections your company may offer, such as PIN numbers known only to you. MasterCard offers SecureCode, in which the user inputs a code in order to complete the purchase.
Shop Protected Sites
For online shopping use only secured sites. Check that the URL shows "HTTPS," meaning a secured site. This will protect you from potential hackers.
Use a Shredder
Shred all your important financial documents once you finish with them. Shred anything with your name, address, telephone number and birthdate on it. This includes credit card applications.
Check Your Credit Report
Check your credit report at least once a year. Look for any errors in the report and clear them up right away.
Dont Give Out Identifying Information
Do not give out your credit card number, Social Security number or bank number to telemarketers, especially if its their first call.
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