Booktalking "50 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Credit" by Steve Weisman

identity

Nowadays, everyone is concerned about identity theft. No one wants to go through the financial and emotional nightmare that comes along with an imposter misusing his or her identity. Not only is recovery from identity theft time-consuming, but it is also emotionally draining. Here are some common-sense steps that individuals can take to avoid becoming victims of identity theft. 

1. Do not open emails from people that you do not know.

(This could activate spyware to be installed on your computer, and hackers could get access to personal account info.)

2. Mail checks directly from Post Office locations.

(Blue post drop boxes may have cameras installed in them that could take pictures of your personal info.)

3. Applying for much more credit at one time can affect your credit score.

(A higher credit limit will affect your credit score.)

4. It can take years to clear your name if your identity has been stolen.

(Report crime to the Federal Trade Commission, close tainted accounts and put a fraud alert on your credit report.)

5. Do not put your social security number (SSN) or bank info on online job applications.

(Hackers are using monster.com to collect people's personal information.)

6. Do not use your social security number as your driver's license number.

7. People can steal identities of kids and deceased individuals.

8. Read the fine print on your credit card agreements.

50 Ways To Protect Your Identity and Credit: Everything You Need to Know About Identity Theft, Credit Cards, Credit Repair and Credit Reports by Steve Weisman, 2005

I have read many books on this topic, and this one is very informative. It also includes form letters to credit agencies, which I find useful.