Identity theft is a growing crime. You personal data is stored at banks, insurance companies, retailers, medical offices, government agencies, your laptop, your phone, your wallet and the list goes on. A hundred years ago, robbery was much harder and entailed the risk of being shot in the act or hanged afterwards. Today, the only fear to some is that of carpel tunnel syndrome from hacking away on the keyboard.
Here are a few tips...
Do not answer calls if the caller ID is blocked.
Do not confirm any personal information to anyone who calls you.
Do not store personal credit and banking info on your phone.
Shred your mail.
Do not pay at the pump with your credit card.
Pay cash in restaurants.
Do not fall for AOL, Netflix, etc. emails asking for your to update your credit card info.
If caller won't give their full name and company, hang up.
If a caller yells or threatens, hang up.
Your insurance will probably not cover you for most of the losses you can suffer from identity theft. Sometimes the criminal is not even on the same continent. The internet has given us the ability to earn money at the speed of light on a global basis; the money can be stolen just as fast.
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