Keep Identity Theft At Bay

According to a new nationwide survey by Experian, awareness of identity theft and concerns about becoming a victim have increased. However, despite this, consumers don’t plan on taking the steps to prevent identity theft from happening to them! Here are a few ways that you can protect yourself and your family from identity thieves:

• Protect (& shred) Your Garbage - Everything you toss, including credit card offers, ATM receipts, bank statements, credit statements/receipts and utility bills, all contain personal information. To protect yourself, buy a shredder and use it- better yet, attend one of Honor’s Community Shred Days! This is an effective, FREE way to safely & securely dispose of confidential or secure info. Look for the schedule on our website, coming out soon!
• Protect your Social Security Number - Your SSN is critical personal info. Do not print it on any form of personal ID. Never carry your SS card in your wallet, and avoid using it as a personal identifier if at all possible.
• Beware of the Telephone - NEVER give out ANY personal info over the phone, unless YOU initiated the call and know who you’re talking to.
• Protect your Computer - Always use virus protections & passwords. Change passwords frequently & never share them.
• Protect your Wallet - Keep a close watch on your credit card balances/statements. This way you can catch any unusual activity immediately, and get the issue resolved as quickly as possible. An easy way to stay on top of any strange card activity is to check your credit score, often. Honor members can simply sign in to online banking and view their current score, which is updated quarterly.

Becoming a victim of identity theft can be completely devastating. Your money, your possessions, and you, yourself, are stolen. ID thieves are very skilled at finding out personal information, so don’t let yourself become a victim! Take these steps to prevent it!

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