Tips to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft also referred to as identity fraud, is a very common issue that should not be overlooked. Many people don’t take the necessary precautions of identity theft until it’s too late. Identity theft can be defined as when a person’s personal and financial data is taken by another person without their consent. This then becomes a federal legal issue. The main reason for identity theft is typically for financial gain, which is why it is critical to protect your personal information. It occurs more often than people want to believe. Don’t be a victim of identity theft. There are many document shredding companies in NV like American Document Destruction that can help you with the prevention of identity theft.

The most common types of theft involve credit cards, taxes, utilities, banks, loans, and government benefits. Regardless of whether your information is online or offline, you will always be at risk. Identity thieves can obtain your private information online through hacking and obtaining passwords to your personal accounts. Offline identity theft usually occurs when sensitive papers are easily accessible. This type of theft happens when you don’t destroy your private statements or neglect to keep your mail secure. If you do end up being a victim of identity theft, make sure to report it as soon as you catch it. Identitytheft.gov is a useful site that can help you report identity theft activity and give you a recovery plan. 

 

Tips to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

1. Shred private documents 

Any type of sensitive papers that contain personal or financial information should be shredded if they are no longer needed. Simply tearing up documents or using your own shredder won’t be as effective as using trusted NV document shredding companies. American Document Destruction is a secure document destruction company in Reno, NV that guarantees all records are shredded, baled, and sent directly to the paper mill.

2. Be cautious of sharing your personal information

Don’t be so quick to give out your personal information such as your Social Security and driver’s license number. Be wary of the people that are asking you for your information and why it’s needed. 

3. Pay close attention to your mail

Try not to neglect your mail and let it pile up. This is the perfect opportunity for thieves to take your mail, more specifically, bank statements and anything that contains your financial information. To reduce this type of fraud from occurring, consider enrolling in electronic statements as an alternative to paper mail. 

4. Keep an eye out for any suspicious bank activity 

You should be looking at your bank statements often and watching out for purchases and merchants that you don’t recognize. If you notice anything suspicious, contact your bank immediately. Make sure you’re monitoring your credit as well.

5. Protect your computer and mobile devices

In this day and age, accessing online information has become more easily accessible through hacking techniques. Some ways to prevent the hacking of your computer or phone is to never use passwords or PINs that are too easy and always mix it up. Using the same password can allow thieves to access multiple personal accounts.

Document Shredding Companies NV 

Although utilizing document shredding companies in NV will benefit you, it is necessary to do your research. American Document Destruction is a secure document destruction company that provides a variety of services from on and off-site shredding to hard drive destruction to even CSR Readiness services. Don’t want to be a victim of identity theft? Contact American Document Destruction today for all of your shredding and data protection needs.

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