While there has always been the fear of theft throughout 
history, it has only been in recent years that more enterprising 
individuals have resorted to stealing someone’s actual identity. 
As a result, theft takes on a much more personal note than it 
once did, and citizens must protect themselves in new and 
creative ways from unscrupulous parties.  It is not always easy 
– and nothing is completely foolproof – but there are steps 
that can be taken to ensure a more secure environment when your 
identity comes into the picture.

When sharing personal information with anyone – such as critical 
numbers that relate to accounts or credit cards – know who you 
are speaking with before divulging any such data.  If you have 
a firmly established relationship with your bank and feel 
comfortable speaking with a familiar representative on the phone, 
that is fine.  If, on the other hand, you are speaking with a 
complete stranger from a company with which you are unfamiliar 
or only vaguely familiar, it is best to avoid releasing this 
type of information.

Do not make a habit of sharing your social security number with 
others.  Too many people take it for granted that they must 
supply information of this sort whenever asked.  That is not 
always true, and you should confirm that it is absolutely 
necessary before giving this number to someone else – and never 
do this over the phone.  You should only share it with persons of 
an official capacity – in a face-to-face scenario – or on forms 
that require such information to be present.  Avoid using this 
number on checks; some people go so far as to have it printed, 
along with their name, address and phone number on the top left 
side of the new checks that they order.  Do not make that 
critical mistake.

Keep careful watch of your credit card activity.  Your physical 
card is not needed to make purchases toward your account.  Simply 
by possessing the number that is printed on the card, someone can 
make charges against your credit by making online or telephone 
purchases.  Many people do not scrutinize their itemized billing 
statement each month, and thieves are getting away with a fortune 
in merchandise as a result of this lackadaisical approach.

Another item to monitor is your credit report.  Even if you are 
unaware that someone has used your identity to charge items, your 
credit report will reflect poor credit ratings when these bills 
go unpaid.  As a result, they will have the merchandise, and you 
will end up with damaged or destroyed credit which can be nearly 
impossible to erase once it is been put on your record.

Take care in what you choose to carry in your wallet.  Any type 
of informational card can be stolen and used to steal your 
identity.  For those items that you feel must be carried, make 
photocopies of both sides so that you will have ready access to 
numbers or expiration dates, if the need arises to cancel 
credit cards or report that a license, credit card or similar 
information has been stolen.  Never carry your social security 
card in your wallet – it is unnecessary and is a critical tool 
for the stealing of someone’s identity.  Memorize your social 
security number and leave the card in a secure location that is 
separate from your physical person.

Other steps that can be taken to protect your identity are making 
payments from safe locations, shredding your personal documents 
that are no longer needed and removing your name from all 
marketing lists.  These simple steps could mean the difference 
between protecting your identity and being arrested for crimes 
that someone else committed in your name. 

Ellen Leppol is the owner and operator of Fi Banking
which is a useful resource about banking matters. For any
comments or questions about this article, please go to:
http://www.fibanking.com
mailto:ellenleppol@mail.com