I’ve been a victim of identity theft. It can happen to you.
In my case, over $12,000 was charged to my account in just over six hours. I found out in the most inconvenient fashion; while exiting a parking garage after a rare romantic dinner with my husband, both our credit cards were declined at the checkpoint. Confused and frustrated – though lucky to have carried some cash that day – we arrived home to find two voice messages from VISA, asking us to call their fraud centre immediately.
So, how can you protect yourself? From the Fellowes ID Theft Prevention Kit:
Shred, Shred, Shred! Invest in a good cross-cut shredder. Companies such as Fellowes make various models available at all price points. Shred all old bills, bank statements, credit card bills, receipts, personal documents and anything with your name or address on it.
Go paperless. Most companies (phone, cable, banks) offer customers the option to not have bills sent to their homes. This eliminates excess paper as well as lessens the chance someone else will pick up or intercept your mail. …