Consumer-Warning.org People Search Tips, Tricks, and Advice
Staying Safe during the Holidays
Posted by Kim on Friday, December 9th, 2011 at 10:01 am
The holiday season is here and it brings us lively festivities, traveling, gift giving and joyous gatherings. For identity thieves it brings another kind of joy – scams, phishing, picking pockets, skimming and all kinds of strategies to steal and use your personal information.
As you are rushing around this time of year trying to get everything done on your holiday list, you probably are not thinking about identity theft. Whether you are doing your Christmas shopping at a crowded mall or online from the comfort of your home or office, you are at risk.
Let’s look at the statistics. The Bureau of Justice Statistics announced that identity theft has dramatically increased over the last few years. Identity theft struck at least one person in approximately 8.6 million households in 2010. That is an incredible increase over the number of cases just five years earlier. [1]
The Holiday Season
Unfortunately, holiday shopping, whether in the stores or online, and identity theft go together like Santa and the reindeer. During the holiday season, distraction is your worst enemy. Not only do you tend to spend more money, you are most likely much busier, and more stressed out. Identity thieves know this and take advantage of your distractions in order to extract information from you.
Protect Yourself
At this merry time of year, it is the little things you do, or don’t do, that can mean the difference between being a victim or not.
At Home
- Watch those solicitors – Never give out any personal details over the phone, email or text. It is a season of solicitations, but it is imperative that you decline to give out any information no matter who the caller claims to be.
- Shopping online – When shopping online, make sure the padlock icon shows up in the address bar of your browser window, and that the URL begins with “https.” If the icon is there, the site has been verified to be secure. If it’s not there, do not enter any personal details in the shopping cart.
- No debit cards – Never use a debit card to pay for your order. Use a credit card only. Debit cards can lead a thief right to your bank account. Credit cards typically offer more liability protection.
- Lock it up – Secure your personal documents. Keep your checkbooks, Social Security card, debit and credit cards in a safe place. Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet. Invest in a document shredder and shred any documents when they are no longer needed, including credit card and cash advance applications.
- Recordkeeping – Keep receipts of all online shopping orders.
- Passwords – Change your passwords frequently.
- Protect your computer - Keep your antivirus software and firewalls up to date.
At the Stores
- Pickpockets - Men should keep their wallets in their front pockets. Women should carry their purses tightly toward their bodies. Carry only the credit cards you absolutely need, leave the rest at home. Make sure all credit cards are signed as soon as you receive them.
- Skimmers – Skimming is a somewhat new crime. Cashiers run your credit card through a device that captures the data. Keep your eye on the cashier! Never allow him or her to leave your sight with your credit card.
- ATM’s - Another method of skimming is done at ATM’s. Never use a secluded ATM as it is more likely to be equipped with a skimming device. Use an ATM in or near a bank.
- Be aware – Be mindful of your surroundings when paying for your purchase. See who is behind you or near you. Identity thieves can use a camera to take a photo of your credit card.
Preventative Measures
- Watch your accounts – Check your bank and credit card accounts frequently.
- Credit Bureaus – Monitor your credit regularly.
- Background check - Run a personal background check often. This will allow you to keep an eye on any unusual activity such as Social Security fraud.
We recommend Net Detective. They provide you unlimited background searches for three years for one low fee. And they include your credit report score and $1,000,000 of ID Theft Protection for free.
Sources:
- Bureau of Justice Statistics (11/30/2011) – Identity Theft Reported by Households Rose 33 Percent from 2005 to 2010
Category:
Leave your message here, but please read the following:
If you are looking to find a lost friend, family member, adopted child/parent, classmate, roommate, or military buddy, please leave your message on the LOST FRIENDS BOARD. Any such messages left here will not be approved. Thank you!
About This Site
My name is Kim and I am a freelance writer. I have over 30 years of experience in office management and administrative expertise. I specialize in handling customer service, training and writing for online businesses.
Writing has always been my passion. I am an avid animal lover who is combining my love of writing and animals together in the children’s books I am writing.
The Internet has opened up a whole new world for people of all ages. While most of us agree it’s changed our lives for the better, there are still precautions that you need to take. I want to help you navigate the Internet safely. However, being security conscious doesn’t stop with the Internet. This blog will be your source of information and education to keep you and your family safe online and offline.
While I wish the cost of maintaining a blog was free, it is not. The providers of some—though not all—of the sites mentioned are generous enough to provide compensation for my honest opinions about their products or services. I do not write about any product that I have not personally tried. Feel free to check out my full compensation disclosure.
Kim