MInTheGap

If I were to ask you what you believed topped the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) complaint list for the seventh year in a row, what would you think that it was?

The funny thing about identity theft is that many people are paranoid about giving out their information over the Internet, but an overwhelming majority of this type of theft happens by someone you know.  It can happen through the credit card offers that you throw in the trash, or through someone that works in your house.

I had a credit card number that was stolen– an account that someone got a hold of and used it to buy $5000 in medical equipment.  Fortunately, it was easy to dispute because I wasn’t using the card.

The point is, are you taking appropriate measures to protect your identity?

• Make sure that you don’t use the links inside e-mails from your bank– always go to the site yourself and login.
• Make sure that you see the little lock on your web browser after you’ve logged in and when you use a credit card at an online store.
• Always have the latest web browser– newer technologies help you determine if a site is legitimate.
• If you have home help, buy a shredder.
• Never just throw away credit card offers, tear them up, rip them up, or otherwise get rid of them.
• Either call the credit bureaus yourself, or get something like lifelock that can help protect your identity.

These are some of the more simple tips, but they can save you a lot of headache in the future.

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