Eight Ways to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

Identity theft can happen to anyone, especially in an era when so many transactions happen online and so many of us rely on mobile devices to make purchases. The costs of identity theft are often severe, with lost funds, damage to your credit score, added stress, and extensive time spent addressing the damage done. That's why it's so important to protect your identity, and we've got 8 easy-to-implement tips to help you keep your identity safe.

1. Password Lock All of Your Devices
   For an identity thief, gaining access to one of your mobile devices will often grant them access to all of the accounts that you use on that device. Make it harder for them to gain access by using a password to lock all of your devices. If you lose or misplace a device, a strong password helps keep your information private.
2. Mix Up Your Passwords for Online Accounts
   If you use the same password for most or all of your online accounts, then an identity thief only needs to crack that one password in order to gain access to everything. Avoid that problem by using different, strong passwords for each of your online accounts, rather than the same one for everything.
3. Don't Give Out Your Personal Information
   Sometimes, an identity thief will contact you by phone or email, posing as an employee of a bank or business to ask for personal information. Remember that no reputable business will ever ask for personal information like your social security or account number by phone or email. When in doubt, don't give out personal information.
4. Be Careful Where You Shop Online
   There are millions of places to buy products and services online, but not every website has your security in mind. Avoid clicking on links that look shady, or purchasing anything from websites that you don't trust. Unsecured websites make it easier for identity thieves to steal your information.
5. Keep an Eye on Your Credit Reports and Bank Statements
   You can request a free credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once per year, and reviewing your report is a key step in spotting fraudulent activity. Checking your bank statements allows you to catch fraudulent charges as well, and online banking makes it easy to check your statements anytime.
6. Use Quality Anti-Virus Programs for Your Connected Devices
   Computer viruses are another key tool for identity thieves, and viruses can be designed to be very hard to spot if you don't have the right protection. Make sure that you use quality anti-virus software on connected devices, to protect from malware and safely address any issues that arise.
7. Keep Physical Documents Secured
   With so much focus on digital identity theft, it can be easy to forget that your physical documents should be protected as well. Never write passwords down where someone can find them, always securely store documents that you need to keep and shred unneeded documents that contain personal information.
8. Be Vigilant and Ready to Respond
   Taking steps to protect your identity is a great place to start, but it's important to remain vigilant after your layers of security are in place. Make sure that you always have an up-to-date picture of your personal accounts, and be ready to take necessary actions if you spot anything unusual.

The time and effort required to protect your identity theft are small costs considering how much trouble they can save you in the long run. With your identity safe, you can shop for home improvement products and everything else you need with confidence.

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