10 Things You Can Do Now to Protect Your Identity

The fact of the matter is, a lot of the services identity theft protection agencies provide can be done by yourself:

Credit Monitoring

    You are allowed to request a Credit History report once each year from each of the three major credit bureaus: Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion.

Fraud Alerts

    You can place a fraud alert yourself, which is attached to your credit report from all major credit bureaus. With a fraud alert in place, when you (or someone else) attempts to open a new line of credit, the lender will contact you by phone to verify that you really want to. However, a fraud alert will only remain in place for 90 days, after which it must be reactivated. Only if you have been a victim of identity theft you can place an alert that will apply for 7 years.

Mail List Removal

    You can reduce the amount of junk mail you get, including credit card offers, by signing up at OptOutPrescreen.com. However, companies with an existing relationship are still permitted (obviously), so if you wish to stop receiving mail from them, you should contact them each directly.

Credit Freeze

    Anyone can freeze or unfreeze their account, stopping credit bureaus from releasing your report without your consent. Price varies by state, but generally costs about $10.

Do Not Call Registry

    Get your name and number off of telemarketing lists by visiting www.donotcall.gov or calling 1-888-382-1222.

While these services are available to you to do yourself (and mostly for free), several identity protection services provide them for a fee. So why would you pay for them? Protecting your identity has been compared to changing oil in your car; you can do it yourself, but most of us choose to have it done by specialists. But more than simply having specialized help, convenience is certainly a selling point. It’s easy to forget when the last time was that you set your own fraud alert. Or has it been at least a year since you last ordered your credit report; and which credit bureau was it from? Identity protection services provide more than identity theft protection, some also provide tools for detection, prevention, and even resolution. To learn more, see our review of top-ranked identity theft protection services.
Regardless of which identity theft protection service you decide is best for you, here are five more easy things you can do now to help protect yourself and your identity:

Shred

    Properly dispose of your financial documents and personal information by using a personal shredder.

Wallet/Purse

    Keep your personal information at home, not in your wallet or purse. Never carry your social security card or your children’s cards with you.

Computer

    Don’t keep personal information on your hard drive, especially if your computer is connected to the Internet.

Online

    Don’t give your identifying information away to a source you don’t know. Use alternate information instead of your social security number if possible. Keep up to date with the current phishing schemes and fraud threats.

Passwords

    Utilize passwords that will actually protect your information. Using your Mother’s maiden name or the last four digits of your social security number is not a good idea.

Protecting your identity is serious business, and regardless of whether you decide to go it alone or utilize the services of an identity theft protection program, you should certainly do all that you can to avoid having your identity fall into the wrong hands. The consequences are too great, and the cost in time and money can be dramatic. See our side-by-side comparisons of identity theft protection services to see if they are right for you.