Answer:   Securing your personal information is the first line of defense against ID theft!

Protecting your personal information – such as your name, address, birth date, birthplace, driver’s license number, Social Security number, and including your personal, financial and medical records – can help to reduce your risk of identity theft.

Banks and credit card companies have made huge investments in fraud protection systems to protect you, but what have you done and what are you doing to protect yourself?   Consumer vigilance remains one of the most effective weapons against identity theft.   Take the threat of fraud seriously!   Be an active participant in your own protection.   Prevention is the first line of defense.

Four ways to do so include:

1. Know who it is that you are sharing your personal information with;
   
2. Store and dispose of your personal information securely;
   
3. Ask questions before disclosing your personal information; and
4. Maintain security on your computer and other electronic devices.

Here are a number of things to get you thinking and taking action. This is by no means an exhaustive list:

• Review your financial statements regularly and immediately report any discrepancies. (Many protections offered by banks and credit unions are subject to time limits.) 
  
  
• Conduct due diligence to check out any investment opportunity before you invest.
  
  
• Lock down your wireless network to prevent unauthorized access.
  
  
• Make sure your donations are going to who you want to help (in the amount you expect) and not to an identity thief. It is not uncommon for charities that do their own fundraising to use little of their total income for the cause the charity supports and solicits for (using the vast majority on operating expenses, marketing, salaries, etc). Charities that utilize for-profit fundraisers (i.e., telemarketers) many times only receive a very small percentage of the total dollar amount collected (less than 10 percent). It is important to do your research before giving your hard earned dollars.
  
  
• Do not access your bank, brokerage or other financial information from a public Internet site such as a café, library, hotel or other public venue.
  
  
• Have appropriate estate planning documents in place such as powers of attorney, beneficiaries on retirement accounts, health care proxies, etc. Such advance planning would be especially important if you became incapacitated by illness or injury. These documents, among others, allow you to select a trusted person(s) in advance, who will act on your behalf in making important decisions if you are unable to do so yourself. 
  
  
• Keep your passwords private. Use strong passwords with your computer and bank, credit and other accounts. Think of a phrase (that you will remember) and substitute numbers and characters or symbols for some words or letters. Use upper and lower cases. 
  
  
• Lock your financial documents and records in a safe place in your home (but be sure to tell a trusted person(s) the lock combination and/or username and passwords). 
  
  
• Lock your wallet or purse in a safe place at work.
  
  
• Do not take valuables with you to the gym or a health care facility. 
  
  
• Before you share your personal information with ANYONE (your employer, a business, your child’s school or a doctor’s office), ask why they need it. If they insist, ask how they will safeguard your personal information and what the consequences would be for not sharing it.
  
  
• Shred receipts, credit card offers, credit applications, insurance forms, health care statements, checks, bank statements, expired credit cards, and similar documents when no longer needed by you. When in doubt, shred. And, use a cross-cut shredder or a reliable shredding service.
  
  
• Do not share your health plan information with anyone who offers free health services or products.
  
  
• Destroy labels on prescription bottles.
  
  
• Take your outgoing mail to the post office. Do not place it in your mailbox for pick-up at home or drop it in a collection box.
  
  
• Promptly remove mail you receive in your mailbox.
  
  
• Place a “vacation hold” on your mail if you are away.
  
  
• When you order new checks, do not have them delivered to your home (unless you have a secure mailbox with a lock). Instead, ask your bank or credit union to take delivery for you to pick up.
  
  
• Consider opting out of pre-screened offers for credit and insurance. You can opt out for five (5) years or permanently. To do so, call (888) 567-8688 or go to www.optoutprescreen.com
  
  
• Make sure you know who is getting your personal and financial information. Do not give it out on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you have initiated the contact or know who are dealing with.
  
  
• If you receive an e-mail from a company that claims to have an account with you and is asking you to verify your personal or account information, do NOT click on the links contained in that e-mail! Instead, type the company name into your web browser, go to that company’s web site, and contact them through customer service. Or, simply call the customer service number listed on your account statement to verify whether the received e-mail is legitimate. Most companies, particularly banks and credit card companies, will NOT request that you verify your personal or account information in an unsolicited e-mail.
  
  
• Before you dispose of your computer, copier, printer, camera, or mobile phone, remove all of the personal information it stores. This may involve removing the entire hard drive or using a utility program to overwrite it. Check your owner’s manual, the service provider’s website, or the device manufacturer’s website for more information on how to delete information permanently (and how to save or transfer desired information to a new device). Be sure to remove the memory or subscriber identity module (SIM) card from camera and mobile devices. Also, remove the phone book, lists of calls made and received, voice mails, messages sent and received, organized folders, web search history, photos and the like.
  
  
• Encrypt your data. Use encryption software that scrambles information you send over the Internet.
  
  
• A “lock” icon on the status bar of your Internet browser means that your information will be safe when transmitted. Look for the “lock” before you send personal or financial information online.
  
  
• Do not “over share” on social networking sites. Posting TMI (too much information) can compromise your identity by giving information that an identity thief can use to answer “challenge” questions on your accounts, and gain access to your personal information and money. Never post your full name, Social Security number, address, phone number, birthday, or account numbers when using publicly accessible sites.
  
  
• Use security software on your computer, mobile phone and other electronic devices. Install anti-virus software, anti-spyware software, and a firewall. Set your preference to update these protections often.
  
  
• Avoid phishing e-mails. Do not open them! Do not open files, click on links or download programs from people or businesses you do not know and trust.
  
  
• Lock up your laptop. Do not use an automatic login feature that saves your username and password. Always log on and off manually.
  
  
• Use electronic deposit for your paychecks, benefit and pension checks, tax refunds and insurance refunds.
  
  
• When you are required to provide personal information over the phone (such as your Social Security or credit card number), do not allow the other person to “read it back” to you for accuracy. You do not know where they are located or who is listening to them (and, if written down by them, whether it is safely disposed). You should be able to control who is listening at your end of the conversation, so offer to repeat the information to them rather than having it “read back” to you.
  
  
• Do not carry your wallet in your back pocket.
  
  
• Carry your checkbook only when you are planning to use it.
  
  
• Copy the contents of your wallet (front and back) so if it is lost or stolen you know what is missing and what numbers to call to notify your bank, cancel credit cards, etc.
  
  
• Remove any items in your wallet that contain your Social Security number.
  
  
• Make a copy of your Medicare card and black out all but the last four digits of your Social Security number on the copy. Carry just the copy with you, unless you are going to the doctor’s office. When finished at the doctor’s office, be sure to remove the Medicare card from your wallet or purse, and store it in a safe place.
  
  
• Review your Social Security Earnings Statement and report any discrepancies. To request Form SSA-7004, Request for Earnings and Benefit Estimate Statement, call (800) 772-1213 or go to www.ssa.gov/mystatement or you can download the form at www.ssa.gov/online/ssa-7004.hmtl, http://www.ssa.gov/myaccount/
  
  
• When you travel, remove anything from your wallet or purse (and luggage) that you do not need for your trip.
  
  
• Do not keep your purse, briefcase, checkbook, registration, insurance card, or any other personally identifying information in your vehicle.
  
  
• Order copies of your credit report at least annually. Consider staggering your requests from the three nationwide credit reporting agencies (i.e. Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) so you are reviewing a credit report once every four months.
  
  
• If your driver’s license number is your Social Security number, change it.
  
  
• Protect your driver’s license, which is a hot commodity! Not only can it be used to obtain medical services in your name, an identity thief could be racking up traffic tickets or, worse, an arrest record in your name, and you might not even be aware of it until it is too late.