Identity Theft: How to Protect Personal Information

30 de octubre de 2024

by Christian Phillips

If you think protecting your personal information from scammers is hard, imagine how difficult and time-consuming it would be to recover it. Implementing the proper safeguards is much easier. Here are quick steps to prevent yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft.

Protect Your Important Documents:
It's common to carry social security cards in a purse or wallet, but doing so increases the risk of identity theft. If you were to lose your personal belongings, anyone could pick it up, and not everyone has good intentions. The safest way to store your social security card is at home in a filing cabinet, safety deposit box, or safe. This advice also applies to other important documents like birth certificates, financial statements, passwords, marriage certificates, and other documentation that includes identifiable information.

Go Paperless:
Going paperless is an excellent way to prevent personal information from being intercepted via trash or mail delivery. Not only are digital statements safer, but you are also helping save the planet by using less paper!

Dispose of Outdated Documents:
When you decide to go paperless and no longer need physical documents, be sure to dispose of them properly. Documentation that includes phone numbers, emails, social security numbers, date of birth, and financial information should never be thrown into the trash without shredding them first.

Enroll in Digital Banking Alerts:
Stay up to date on all account-related activity in real-time. Balance alerts will inform you when deposits and credits are posted to your account. This feature will allow you to quickly identify fraudulent transactions, aiding your ability to act more swiftly.

Frandsen Resources:
Monitor transactions with online and mobile banking services. Set up Notifi Alerts to receive “real time” information to help keep you “in the know.”

Update and Improve Password Management:
Most consumers get too complacent when it comes to password management. For example, when you open a new social media account, banking app, or anything requiring a username or password, it is easy to set and forget about it. We recommend updating all passwords every 60 to 90 days while never using the same username or password for multiple accounts. For more tips and tricks for creating a secure password, click HERE.

Review Your Credit Report:
Set some time aside to visit annualcreditreport.com. It is easy to request credit reports and, most importantly, free!

Credit Bureaus Contact information:

Experian.com/help
- 888-397-3742
TransUnion.com/credit-help
- 888-909-8872
Eqifax.com/personal/credit-report-services
- 800-685-1111

Identity Theft: How to Protect Personal Information

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