Good credit gives consumers purchasing power and convenience -- two things that are important to most people today. This power and convenience also makes you a target for identity theft, according to AAA.
"Anyone who uses or has good credit should be aware of the possibility of identity theft and take special precautions with their credit cards to safeguard against becoming a victim of this crime," said Scott Denman, managing director, AAA Financial Services.
In order to minimize your exposure to identity theft, AAA offers these 10 tips:
- Give your Social Security number only when it is absolutely necessary such as for wage and tax reporting purposes, or for a credit check. When possible, ask to use a different type of identification. Don't carry your Social Security card with you -- leave it in a safe place.
- Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies each year and check them for accuracy. Credit bureaus can legally charge you up to $8.50 for the copy.
- Guard your mail from theft. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes and promptly remove mail from your mailbox after it is delivered.
- Pay attention to your billing cycles and follow up with creditors if your bills don't arrive on time. A missing credit card bill could mean that an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address.
- Shred or tear documents containing personal information prior to throwing them out. Such documents include charge receipts, credit applications, insurance forms, bank checks and statements, and expired charge cards.
- Never provide personal information over the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or know whom you are dealing with. Identity thieves can pose as bank representatives, Internet service providers or even a government employee to get you to reveal sensitive information.
- Minimize the amount of identification information that you carry as well as the number of credit cards. Carry only what you really need.
- Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that the information is kept in a secure location.
- Put passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts but do not use an obvious password such as your birthday, address, Social Security number or phone number.
- Notify credit bureaus immediately if you detect errors on your credit report. Call them first and then follow up in writing. In addition, provide the same information in writing to the creditor involved in the error.
As North America’s largest motoring and leisure travel organization, AAA provides its more than 44 million members with travel, insurance, financial and automotive-related services. Since its founding in 1902, AAA has been a leader and advocate for the safety and security of all travelers.
|
