In the course of the day you may write a check at the drugstore, charge tickets to a concert, rent a car, call home on your cell phone, or apply for a credit card. Chances are you don't give these routine transactions a second thought. But others may. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, affecting half a million new victims each year.
WAYS TO PREVENT IDENTITY THEFT
Do not give out personal information over the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or know with whom you're dealing.
Shred all documentation, including preapproved credit applications, insurance forms, bank checks and statements you are discarding, and other financial information.
Create hard-to-guess passwords with at least eight characters and that include a mix of numbers and both uppercase and lowercase letters.
Pay attention to your billing cycles. Follow up with creditors if bills don't arrive on time. A missing credit card bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your credit account and changed your address.
Invest in a locked mailbox for deliveries of mail. Suspects engaged in this crime usually drive around in neighborhoods and look for mail left at door steps or easily accessible items.
Close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently.
File a police report. For more information on how to file a report you can contact the Office of Community Affairs at (310) 618-6391 or (310) 618-6392.
For more information, watch the following video: CitiCABLE 3 - This Week In Torrance #10.08
In the course of the day you may write a check at the drugstore, charge tickets to a concert, rent a car, call home on your cell phone, or apply for a credit card. Chances are you don't give these routine transactions a second thought. But others may. Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America, affecting half a million new victims each year.
