IDENTITY THEFT

Identity theft is devastating, just ask anyone who has gone through that nightmare.  It takes a long time to recover your credit and confidence.  Many consumers assume that hackers and criminals will only target corporations and large organizations, however, the reality is that everyone is at risk.

How can someone steal your identity?  Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or other identifying, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes.

There are several steps you can take to protect yourselves both offline and online.

• Protect your Social Security number and don’t give it out to venues you don’t trust.
• Buy a paper shredder.  Use it to shred unwanted bank and those junk-mail credit card offers.
• Ensure your personal information is safe when shopping online by installing and updating virus software and downloading the latest patches for your operating system and internet browser. 
• Delete unknown e-mails, install and activate firewalls and change your passwords frequently

By educating ourselves, using the latest in security solutions and taking some basic precautions, consumers can do a tremendous amount to decrease their risk for becoming a victim of identity theft.