There are several methods that can help you protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. Here are some of them:
1. **Don't over share**. Tech-savvy thieves can quickly gather what you share on social networks (your home or email address; children’s names; birth date and so on) to use for scams, phishing, and account theft. Fight ‘phishing’ – don’t take the bait.
2. **Sign up for an identity theft protection service**. Although an identity theft protection service can't prevent identity theft, it can alert you promptly when it happens to limit the damage and help you recover.
3. **Do not answer phone calls, texts, or email from numbers or people you do not know**. Do not share personal information like your bank account number, Social Security number, or date of birth.
4. **Review credit card and bank account statements**. Watch for and report unauthorized or suspicious transactions.
5. **Store personal information, including your Social Security card, in a safe place**. Do not carry it in your wallet.
6. **Protect documents that have personal information**.
7. **Collect your mail every day and place a hold on your mail when you will be on vacation or away from your home**.
These are just some of the methods that can help you protect yourself from identity theft and fraud. It is important to be vigilant and take steps to protect your personal information at all times.
Here is an example of how these methods can be applied: If you receive a call from someone claiming to be from your bank asking for your account number or other personal information, do not provide it over the phone. Instead, hang up and call the bank directly using the number on their website or on the back of your credit card.
