| No one is exempted from the crime of identity | | | | your home network through various methods like |
| theft. Anyone, from children to senior citizens, is | | | | disabling SSID broadcast and enabling WEP/WPA |
| prone to having their identities stolen which is why | | | | security. |
| people should take the necessary precaution to | | | | 5. Monitor your credit report. It is not enough to |
| prevent themselves from being victims of this | | | | simply leaf through the pages of your credit |
| crime. | | | | report. You have to understand which entries are |
| If you want to secure yourself and keep those | | | | legitimate credits under your name and which are |
| identity thieves away from your personal | | | | not. |
| information, here are some things that you should | | | | 6. Do not bring all your credit cards with you |
| do: | | | | when you go out. When going out, bring only the |
| 1. Whenever possible, avoid connecting your | | | | credit cards that you will need. You don't have to |
| mobile devices and gears to Wi-Fi hot spots | | | | bring your entire "plastic collection" to avoid |
| especially those that are unsecured or those who | | | | further identity theft issues if in case your wallet |
| do not have passwords. Doing so only exposes | | | | or purse is stolen. |
| your mobile gears into viruses and spywares | | | | 7. Install and update a good and reliable anti-virus |
| which can significantly increase the risk of you | | | | and anti-spyware program in your computer. |
| being a victim of identity theft. | | | | These types of software would prevent outsider |
| 2. Buy a cross-cut shredder. Any document that | | | | attacks on your computer which can also help |
| contains your sensitive information should be | | | | deter hackers from getting inside your computer |
| shredded before it is thrown out of the trash bin | | | | and manipulating your data for their own personal |
| so that dumpster divers will not have the chance | | | | gain, as that of identity theft's. |
| to piece these documents together and gain | | | | 8. Create strong passwords and PIN numbers for |
| access to your personal information. | | | | your account. Avoid using your birthday for your |
| 3. Do not leave your receipts at tables. Pick up | | | | PIN numbers and as much as possible, use |
| your receipt and take it home. If you need to | | | | alphanumeric characters or a combination of both |
| dispose it, run it through your shredder, especially | | | | letters and numbers. Do not make your |
| if you used credit cards to pay for services or | | | | passwords universal. |
| made purchases. These receipts often print your | | | | 9. When you don't receive your credit card bill, call |
| credit card number which is another security risk. | | | | the credit card company immediately. It is |
| 4. Secure your wireless home network. With the | | | | important that consumers be vigilant with their |
| introduction of multiple computers in one | | | | credit card statements because identity thieves |
| household, people are subscribing to wireless | | | | are known to intercept this mail. If did not arrive |
| home networks. However, these networks, just | | | | on time, call your credit card company and report |
| like hot spots, are always prone to hackers and | | | | it. You'll never know when identity theft strikes |
| identity theft. Therefore, you need to secure | | | | and it's better to be sure than be sorry later. |