This type of crime is on the increase due to the ease with which funds can be transferred via paper or electronic documents. To protect yourself from becoming a victim, you should do the following:
- Get a copy of your own credit report every six months and check it to make sure there aren’t any credit cards or checking accounts you didn’t open.
- Never give your credit card number to someone who calls you on the telephone.
- Read your monthly statements carefully and report any discrepancies immediately.
- Rip up or shred your old checks and bills before putting them in the trash.
- When you renew your driver’s license, don’t use your Social Security number as your license number. There’s no sense in making your Social Security number too easily available.
- Guard the Personal Identification Number (PIN) you use on your various credit cards. Don’t write them down in your personal planner, and don’t leave them on a slip of paper in your purse or wallet.
- Learn to ask “Why?” when people request financial information.