6 steps to secure your identity
Who knows your identity?
Credit industry experts claim that someone’s identity is stolen every 2 seconds somewhere in the world.
Identity theft, or identity fraud, is the wilful use of someone else’s name and particulars for personal gain. But, that person’s gain is the victim’s loss and might not be noted until weeks after the crime. Not surprisingly, because it is a silent crime and easy to execute, identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in society.
The crime is similar to piracy: waiting on the cyber- seas of our digital world lurk privacy pirates. They want to board your ship and steal your personal data. You need to prepare yourself to repel these boarders.
6 steps to secure your identity
- Install anti- virus and anti- spyware on your personal computing devices. Either switch off the camera or cover the lens with duct tape to prevent accidental or deliberate filming.
- Select, index and make copies of your critical documents. Make one hard copy and two digital copies of this critical information before securing it in a combination safe.
- Prevent thieves from rifling through your rubbish for credit card and bank statements. Shred all discarded paper, receipts and the like.
- Carry your credit and debit cards in a wallet with RFID protection. Electronic pickpockets can transfer data from your cards from 5 metres away.
- Monitor your accounts for suspicious activity. Report your suspicions to your bank or credit provider. Be prepared to change bank accounts and pin numbers.
- Select and download secure apps to organise your passwords.
Although the theft of your identity could have serious consequences, you might not know that your identity has been compromised for some weeks later.
Not only do you not know who stole your identity but you do not know how it will be used. Attend one of our H.E.A.T. courses and know how to protect yourself from identity theft.
H.E.A.T. tip:
To prevent your online data from being stolen, deselect ” remember me” when browsing the internet.
