Spring Cleaning Identity Theft Tips

(ARA) - In a few short months, many Americans will be looking to get reorganized, rolling up their shirtsleeves to undertake another season of spring cleaning. Identity theft experts, however, want to remind these cleaning-conscious individuals that what information they toss out, and how they toss it, can greatly increase or decrease their chances of becoming a victim of one of the nation’s fastest-growing crimes.

Identity theft occurs when a thief obtains an individual’s personally identifying information, like your name, social security number, driver’s license, bank account, or credit card number, according to the Federal Trade Commission. “Thieves can get ahold of your personal and financial information in several ways, including lost or stolen wallets, pilfered mail computer viruses, or discarded trash,” says Scott Mitic, CEO of TrustedID. “As a result, it’s important that individuals plan ahead when cleaning up and reorganizing both their homes and personal effects this spring.”

Mitic recommends the following spring cleaning tips to ensure your identity stays safe:

* Shred, shred, shred – Shredding documents with any identifying information helps prevent “dumpster diving,” a practice that allows thieves to seize sensitive documents discarded by careless consumers.

* Organize wallets and handbags –The majority of unauthorized breaches result from lost or stolen wallets, debit/credit cards and checkbooks. Minimize potential damage by removing all unnecessary items.

* Keep personal and financial records secure – More often than not, the perpetrator of ID theft is a friend, family member, neighbor or co-worker of the victim. Be sure any sensitive documents are filed away in a safe place in your home.

* Replace paper invoices, statements and checks with electronic versions – Electronic monitoring will increase your ability to catch fraudulent charges sooner and will decrease amount of mail you receive, as well as the threat of mail theft.

* Secure your personal computer – Sign up with a trusted software or service to detect and remove spyware, malware and viruses.

* Use an opt-out service to eliminate junk mail – Put a stop to all unsolicited credit card and insurance offers through services provided by the credit bureaus.

* Stay ahead of the mess – Now that your records are in order, stay ahead of identity thieves and sign up for a proactive identity protection service that will prevent identity theft before it starts.

For more information on how to protect against and prevent identity theft, visit www.TrustedID.com.

Courtesy of ARAcontent