Leave the Social Security Card at Home

There’s absolutely no reason to keep your Social Security card in your wallet. If your wallet were to get snatched or lost, your identity could be stolen in a heartbeat. Your social security card cannot be cancelled or replaced, and can be a costly loss in more ways than one.

If an identity thief were to gain access to your card, the effects could be devastating and immediate. With that information, a stranger could easily open new credit card accounts, commit crimes under your name, or gain employment with your identity. Keep it secure in a safe; there are very few times in life you’ll need to present the card itself.

Have Fun with a Shredder

Don’t ever throw away documents containing personal information without shredding them first. Buy an inexpensive shredder and be sure you keep yourself protected. Shred anything and everything that contains sensitive information. This could be Social Security information, tax returns, unused checks, or even credit reports. If you have an expired driver’s license, or recently received a replacement credit card, make sure you shred both.

When in doubt, just ask yourself if you would mind a stranger having access to this information. More often than not, the answer will be yes—meaning you should get to shredding. This is also important in the workplace. It doesn’t hurt to check with your boss that any sensitive personal information is destroyed correctly.

Keep Your SSN to Yourself

Try not to spread your Social Security number around. For example, if you’re planning a move in the near future, ask your potential landlord to use a trusted tenant screening company so you don’t have to write out sensitive information. This will keep you protected while providing the essential information they need.

Don’t give out your SSN online unless you know that your information is protected, always ask how it will be used, and use the right amount of skepticism for phone calls or emails that request this information.

Social Media Practices

While it can be fun to constantly stay up to date with loved ones on social media accounts, be wary of the amount of information you post. Many of the popular social media networks require a bevy of information in order to use their services. Weigh the pros and cons of having an account with access to your personal information.

Don’t put identifying information like your home address, birth date, or full name. All of these can be used by identity thieves. Thieves often profit off of seemingly innocent information; including but not limited to animal’s names or significant dates. As always, only approve those you know in person to access your page.

Up Your Password Game

Use some time to improve your passwords, especially for important financial accounts. Follow these general guidelines to make sure your passcodes are up to par. Make sure your password is longer than six characters, and keep them constantly changing. It might make it a bit more difficult to remember, but the ends justify the means.

Don’t use the same password for more than one account, and don’t select passwords that would be easy for someone to unscramble: that means no birthdays, pet names, or phone numbers.

Be Diligent About Statements

It can be easy to simply pay the balance due on your credit card bill and let that be the end of it. However, this habit sets you up for identity theft. Go over credit card statements and debit transactions regularly to ensure no suspicious activity is taking place.

If your identity has been stolen, the longer you remain unaware, the more expensive righting the issue will be. Sign up for credit reports that don’t damage your credit score and keep an eye on your transactions to ensure no one takes your information.

If you become a victim of identity theft, the consequences could last for years and cost you thousands of dollars. Take the appropriate steps to ensure that your information remains secure and you avoid the schemes of opportunistic thieves.

How to Avoid Becoming the Victim of Identity Theft is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.

Your parents should never deliberately hurt you, and you’re not wrong to feel angry and betrayed. B  ut let’s first talk about how to rebuild your credit. Then, we’ll discuss how to re-establish trust with your parents — if that’s something you can realistically do.

How the Betrayal Gets Uncovered

According to research by the federal government, adult children often discover their parents’ identify theft when:

• Applying for a driver’s license. You might apply for a driver’s license only to discover that one of your parents has used your Social Security number to get a license. Some parents even accumulate traffic citations and DUIs using a child’s identity.
• Trying to open a bank account or credit card. You try to open a credit card or bank account only to discover that your credit is ruined.
• Receiving unexplained collections calls. You might receive a letter from a collections agency or phone calls about a charge you never made.
• Buying or renting a home. You can’t get a mortgage, or a potential landlord turns you down, because your credit is a disaster.
• Being threatened with arrest. In some cases, many of today’s law enforcement careers involve the investigation and prosecution of financial crime. An officer might issue a warrant for a financial crime that you never committed.

In some cases, parents try to re-establish their own lousy credit or get a driver’s license using their child’s identity. In many cases, kids with divorced parents discover that the non-custodial parent misused their Social Security numbers.

Fixing Your Credit

If you’re under 18 when you discover identity theft, the parent who didn’t betray you or another trusted family member will need to work on your behalf. Once you’re over 18, you’re responsible for sorting out your credit problems. Start by writing to each of the three credit bureaus (Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion) to report the ID theft and to put a freeze on future requests for credit. Also, call the police — even though it’s emotionally difficult — and file a report about what happened.

Once you’ve talked to the credit bureaus and the police, obtain a free credit report and see what accounts have been opened in your name. It’s tough to look at a report and see how much damage your parent did, but it’s important to know the truth. Then, contact each of the creditors and collection agencies to let them know about what happened. Ask the creditor to close or block your accounts while you work to resolve the problem. Many creditors will ask for a copy of your birth certificate to verify your age, so scan a copy so that you can email it, or make copies to mail or fax to your creditors. If you were under 18 when the credit account was opened, then you weren’t legally able to enter into a financial contract with the creditor.

When you talk to the credit bureaus and your creditors, keep a log including the name of the company you called, the name of the person you spoke to, the person’s title, and what was said during the call. Also, try to speak to people who have the title of fraud investigator or who work in the fraud department. If you’re completely overwhelmed, find an attorney through the National Association of Consumer Advocates.

Repairing the Relationship

If you had a good relationship with the parent who stole your identity, ask what happened and why. Listen to their story, and tell your mom or dad how much all of this has hurt or angered you. Go to a therapist together and try to work out your differences, and make it clear that such a betrayal can never happen again.

For most kids like you, the parent who steals your identity is a parent who’s hurt you before. It’s natural for you to feel like you have to be nice — it’s your parent, after all — but it’s OK for you to cut off contact until you’re ready to talk. If you’re never ready to talk to an unsafe parent, it’s okay to make that choice. Worry less about being nice and more about protecting yourself and your financial future.

When Your Parents Steal Your Identity is a post from: When Life Gives You Lemons. Did you like the post? Follow me on Twitter, like me on Facebook, or hop on over to my blog and leave me your feedback.