Simple Steps to Protect Yourself from Fraud

Take the Identity Theft Safety Quiz
Safety Quiz

Review Credit Reports Annually
The FACT Act allows you to receive a free credit report every year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies.

• Order your free annual credit reports at www.AnnualCreditReport.com
  or call (877)-8228 toll-free.
  
  
• Call (888) 567-8688 to Opt Out of pre-screen credit offers from all 3 credit bureaus. This automated line is quick, easy, and stops credit bureaus from selling your information. You will need to provide your Social Security number.

• Use this website for the Direct Mail Association's Mail Preference Service to opt out: https://www.dmachoice.org/MPS

• Remove yourself from mortgage refinancing and home equity loan offers by calling the Acxiom U.S. Consumer Hotline at (877) 774-2094, or by writing to DataQuick, Attn: Opt-Out Dept., 9620 Towne Center Drive, San Diego, CA  92121
  

Review your accounts online

• People who monitor their financial accounts and transactions online lose significantly less per fraud incident than those who rely on paper statements.
  
• People who use the Internet to check their bank and credit card accounts have an average loss of $551 per incident, according to one survey. Those who wait for paper statements to arrive averaged $4,543 in losses — more than eight times as high.

Receive financial statement electronically

• Electronic statements are an effective way to prevent mail fraud.  Mail theft occurs any time of the year, but most frequently from January to March when your annual statements and tax documents are arriving.

Protect paper documents                                                                                top

• Shred confidential documents, receipts and credit offers before discarding.
• Receive your financial statements online instead by mail.
• Review account statements promptly.
  
• Use secure mailboxes to send and receive mail.
• When you complete an application for a merchant discount card or similar item, ask what security measures are in place to protect your personal information and how your application will be disposed of when it is no longer needed.

Protect yourself online and on the telephone

• Use caution when asked for personal information over the Internet
  
• Don’t provide personal information by phone unless you initiated the call.
  
• Be aware of current scam tactics such as phishing and spoofing.
  
• Use firewall protection on your computer.
  
• Download Windows updates
  
• Install antivirus and antispyware programs on your computer.

Anti-Phishing Working Group provides information recent phishing scams and how to report them.
OnGuard Online provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry, as well as fraud reporting information.                              top