Here is a direct quote from the FBI’s web site:
The sources of information about you are so numerous that you cannot prevent the theft of your identity.
What? 😯 I thought that was rather disturbing. To come out and say that theft of your identity cannot be prevented is quite alarming.
However, as the above quote mentions, there are too many sources of your information out there.
The site does offer some tips to prevent identity theft, er…no, not prevent – “minimize your risk”:
- Do not simply throw away credit statements, credit cards, ATM receipts or bank statements. Shred those things first!
- Do not give out your credit card number over the phone unless you make the call.
- Check your bank account statements every month and immediately notify the bank if you find any discrepancies.
- If you notice any unauthorized transactions on your credit card statement, notify the financial institution and the police immediately.
- If your identity has been stolen, ask the credit bureau to include a statement to that effect in your credit report.
Check out the FBI’s web site for more identity theft tips and information on other known scams and how to protect yourself.
In addition, here is another great site you should use as a reference with regard to scams and identity theft threats.
