Protecting Your Mail

Remember how we talked about thieves that would steal your mail from the garbage and even from your own mailbox? Well don’t let them! Make sure that every single piece of mail with any kind of identifying information on it is shredded before you throw it away. Simply tearing it into a few pieces is not adequate protection. This only provides the thief with a fairly basic jigsaw puzzle to your most valued information. Invest in a small shredder for your home. These are very inexpensive especially when you consider that the minimal cost of the item could save you hundreds or thousands of dollars in the long run, not to mention a huge headache. If you can’t purchase one yourself then take your mail to work with you and use the shredder in your office.

A locked mailbox will not completely guarantee your protection from identity thieves but it certainly may help in dissuading their attempts to steal your mail. Look into purchasing a mailbox that has a slot in the top for the mail to be slid into but where you need a key to actually remove it. This way, if your mailbox is broken into you will at least know it right away and will perhaps be able to notify creditors, banks and other companies before any real damage is done.

More Key tips…

Ø Bills always tend to arrive on a monthly basis like clockwork so pay attention to billing cycles. If a credit card or utility bill does not arrive on time, contact the company to make sure it has not been redirected.

Safeguard Your PIN and ATM/Credit Card

You know that moment in the store when you’re just about to pay for your purchases using your ATM card and the thought crosses your mind that you should probably use your free hand to cover the keypad so that no one can see the number you’re punching in? But then you don’t do it because you think that the cashier or person behind you in line will just think that you’re being silly and over reacting – I mean, it’s not like you have the code to the universe right? Wrong! It may not be the code to THE universe but it is the code to YOUR universe. Who cares what other people think or how you may look to them – you need to protect that code because it is the key to your mortgage and bill payments, to your children’s education fund, to your next family vacation and to the food, clothing and supplies that sustain your family!

Make sure you are aware of where your ATM or credit card is at all times. When you hand your card to the cashier or to the waiter at the restaurant, is that card ever out of your sight? Does it disappear for a moment underneath the counter while it’s in their hand or is it left to sit on the far side of the counter until the transaction is approved? You may not be able to prevent the fact that the waiter needs to take your card with him to process it, but you can certainly be more aware of situations like this when they do occur.

Now that you know what ATM skimming is you can be more aware of machines that don’t seem quite right. If a machine looks as though it has been altered or tampered with in any way simply do not use it. If a machine has a sign posted on it telling you that the ATM instructions have changed or that you should swipe your card “here” first before inserting it into the reader, or something to that effect then it’s not a machine you should be using. No bank is ever going to post instructions such as these.

Ø Don’t give your PIN to anyone

Ø Beware of people who try to “help” you at bank machines

Ø If your card is not returned to you once you have completed the transaction or pressed the cancel button, contact your financial institution immediately

Ø Check your bank and credit card statements regularly and carefully to make sure that there are no unauthorized transactions