1- Check your credit report regularly

2- Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your home.

3- minimize the amount of information someone can steal, do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate or passport in your wallet or purse, except when needed. Always store your wallet in a safe place.

4- Make sure you have a locked mailbox, post office box or commercial mailbox service. When you are away from home for an extended time, have your mail held at the Post Office, or ask someone you trust to pick it up.

5- Pickup new checks at the bank. Do not have them mailed to your home.

6- Reduce the number of credit cards you actively use to a minimum.

7- Cancel unused bank or credit accounts.

8- Keep a photocopy of all your credit cards, bank accounts, and investments.

9- Never give out your SSN, credit card number or other personal information unless you are sure the source is secure.

10- Do not throw out your credit card receipts in public places always take receipts with you.

11- When creating passwords and PINs (personal identification numbers), do not use the last four digits of your Social Security number, mother's maiden name, your birthdate, middle name, pet's name, consecutive numbers or anything else that could easily be discovered by thieves. It's best to create passwords that combine letters and numbers.

12- Install and update virus protection software to prevent a worm or virus from causing your computer to send out files or other stored information


13- Do not open files sent to you by strangers, or click on hyperlinks or download programs from people you don't know. Opening a file could expose your system to a computer virus which could capture your passwords or any other information as you type it into your keyboard.

14- Install a firewall on your home computer to prevent hackers from obtaining personal identifying and financial data from your hard drive

15- Before disposing of your computer, remove data by using a strong "wipe" utility program. Do not rely on the "delete" function to remove files containing sensitive information

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