Did you know that Identity theft is an increasing concern in today’s world? From consumers who get their wallets stolen to those who are victims of high-tech hacking scandals, identity theft can happen to anyone. And it can be a big hassle to fix. However, there are ways that consumers can protect themselves from identity theft. According to Neighborhood Parcel, an expert in document security, and identity theft, it is important to be vigilant and take precautions to prevent identity theft. For consumers looking to prevent identity theft, mypapershredding.com announced the top 6 ways to protect people from identity theft today:
1. Monitor bank statements and credit card statements.
According to Neighborhood Parcel, one of the easiest ways to catch identity theft is by analyzing bank and credit card statements regularly. By checking these statements each month, consumers will be able to notice any suspicious activity or any unauthorized transactions. They can then catch the theft, report it to the necessary parties, and contain any possible damage. Neighborhood Parcel advises checking these accounts frequently to stop identity theft.
2. Shred documents.
Consumers should shred every piece of paper that has personal information on it. This includes past account statements, personal mail, and even junk mail, as this information contains names and addresses which can be used to obtain more sensitive data. By shredding these documents, it will be much harder for thieves to get the information they need to steal an identity. To get started http://mypapershredding.com
3. Keep personal information private.
Neighborhood Parcel warns to guard your social security number, PINs, passwords, and account numbers. Consumers should keep this information in a safe place at home. Furthermore, do not use the same password for all accounts, as this can make it very easy for a thief to get access to all accounts and information. Last, only give out a social security number when necessary, normally for tax purposes, bank accounts, and when applying for credit.
4. Be cautious Online.
Always use a secure website when shopping, banking, or paying bills online. Look for HTTPS:// and the padlock icon in the URL to verify that it is a secured website. This will insure that the information people give online is secure and will not be shared with anyone else. Without this security, consumers could be giving their information to an imposter site or hacker.
5. Invest in a credit monitoring or identity theft protection service.
For those who are still worried about identity theft, enroll in a service that offers fraud protection. There are various programs that provide consumers with insurance and protection against identity thieves. Neighborhood Parcel advises that these easy services, such as Identity Guard and Equifax, will provide consumers with guaranteed protection.
6. Always Verify Job Openings: Before applying for a job that you found on Craigslist and sending your photo ids to a Gmail account to start the job, think twice. Call the company and verify that they are hiring and never submit your identity info to a free email account like Gmail, outlook, or Yahoo
If you want to protect yourself, these are the top 5 ways to prevent identity theft in 2014. For more information on identity theft, credit repair, and credit cards, access Personal Document shredding here: http://mypapershredding.com
About Neighborhood Parcel:
Neighborhood Parcel offers secure document shredding for area residents and local businesses, HIPAA compliant and affordable shredding service since 2006
Contact: Shredding Service
Tel: (978)636-0301
Twitter here: http://twitter.com/bostonshredding
