- Instead of throwing your financial statements, tax returns and other paperwork with personal information into the garbage, you should shred them, Ulzheimer says.
- File your tax return as early as possible so identity thieves don't beat you to the punch, says Trey Loughran, president of Equifax Personal Information Solutions. Keep in mind that the IRS does not contact taxpayers by e-mail to request information.
- Be careful about using free Wi-Fi in public spaces, such as coffee shops, to check on your bank balance or pay a bill, says Doug Clare, vice president of fraud solutions at FICO. Fraudsters are skilled at setting up dummy open networks to ensnare personal information, such as banking passwords.
- Ask why when someone says they need your Social Security number. "Most of the time they don't and the fewer places that have your Social Security number, the better," Loughran says.
Sunday, March 31, 2013
Avoid identity theft during tax season
As we come to the conclusion of this tax season, here is an interesting article to help prevent identity theft. While we are unable to fully protect ourselves, here are some tips that can at least help minimize the risk.
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Identity theft is a very serious issue that many people are not aware of or don't take as seriously as they should. Almost 10 million Americans every year report having encounters with identity thieves in some way, shape or form. The problem is only going to get larger as identity thieves become smarter and think of even more genius ways to get a hold of your information. These days, not only credit card fraud exists. People can take your medical information, criminal information, etc. People should also stay away from the companies that say they can keep your information out of the hands of criminals and take the necessary steps to secure your information yourself.
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