If you assume that identity thieves are lurking wherever you go, you might just be able to keep your information safe. Think I'm exaggerating? Well, think again. Here are three more ways identity thieves get their hands on your information that you probably never knew about.
Dumpster diving in business trash bins
Maybe you're good about not putting sensitive information in your trash or recycling bin at home. But did you know that a lot of businesses are not nearly as careful with your information?
Have you seen these stories in the news?
- How records with sensitive personal information have been blown from trucks heading for the dump or shredding facility
- How unpurged medical records have been found in dumpsters
- How unpurged tax records have been found in dumpsters
And that's just the tip of the iceberg.
Identity thieves know that they have a good chance of finding your personal information in the dumpsters sitting in the alleys behind certain businesses. Whatever the yuck factor, it's worth it just for all the money they're going to make on your information.
What you can do
Don't give out sensitive, matching information to anyone!
If you're seeing a tax preparer, doctor or any other professional - don't give them your social security number or home address. They certainly do not need your social security number (no matter what they say). And they don't need your physical address. Give them your PO Box for their records only. If the tax person wants that information so they can fill it in, tell them you'll do that yourself.
This will also protect you in case someone in their office is selling your information on the side for a little travel money.
Skimming your credit card
This is where a special storage device is installed in a credit card machine. It captures your credit card information when your card is swiped. Later, the thief can download that information to their computer, make duplicate credit cards and use them until your money is gone and your credit is trashed.
This can happen at any business. Restaurants, however, are a particularly fertile ground for many identity thieves. How often have you handed your credit card to a waiter to pay for a meal? If there's regular turnover at a restaurant, it's possible one of the new waiters is capturing your information on the way to the cash register.
What you can do
First, monitor your credit card records frequently. It's a pain in the neck, but can save you in the long run. The big drawback is that if they use your card as part of an identity theft project for more than just mone, you'll have long term headaches.
The second technique is to only use a prepaid credit card at restaurants. What makes this especially helpful is that you don't have to use your real information on the card. So you can use an alias, your name misspelled, and a fake address. That way, even if your card is skimmed, the most they will get is the amount on the card. And if you don't keep a lot on it, you'll lose very little.
You'll still want to monitor this card so that if an unauthorized transaction shows up, you can dump the card, notify the restaurant, and get a new prepaid card.
Phony s
As people have moved activities online, so have identity thieves. They've created a practice known as Phishing.
This is where they send you an that looks as if it came from your bank, Paypal, eBay, or any other organization or business.
The usually tells you that there's a problem with your account and that you need to click on the link in the , sign into your account, and get the problem fixed.
A lot of people panic, click on the link, and sign in.
This gives the thief your information because the address and website are dummies designed to get your information. Now they can move on to get more information and money from you.
What you can do
First, and most importantly, never click on a link that comes from anyone telling you to login to do something. Especially if it's your bank.
If you get an that looks like it's from your bank, open a browser window and go to your bank's site on your own, login and check. Better yet, call them and check.
Secondly, make sure the address where you're getting this warning is actually the you have on file with your bank.
One of the best things you can do is have an address that is only used for your bank or other financially related activities. And never use it to sign up for anything online.
Make sure the address is not something someone could guess - even if they run it through an iteration process that comes up with all possible name combinations. Make sure it has numbers and at least one odd character in it (like # or %).
That way, when you get an that looks like it's from your bank and it came to the Gmail address that you only use for online stuff, you'll know immediately that it's a phishing attempt.
And, by the way, a Gmail address is a great idea for your online activities. Use an odd name (like RV*Mama35@gmail.com or Red%Corvette3@gmail.com) to cut down on spam possibilities. The great thing about Gmail, however, is that they have an excellent spam filter that will cut down on a lot of garbage. It acts as an early warning system so you won't panic and do something that will cost you big time down the line.
If you'd like to discover more ways to protect yourself, check out my book, How to Disappear.
Five Myths Concerning Identity Fraud A Review of Krolls Identity Theft Shield Program The Urgency of ID Theft Prevention
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