If you are concerned about the risk of identity theft, we hope you've already invested in a service protection against identity theft such as LifeLock identity or Guardian. But if you are really serious about protecting you against identity theft, there are several steps you can take. As we said yesterday, you should avoid any personal information about yourself developer on MySpace, Facebook or other social networking sites. (Or anywhere else on the Internet, for that matter.)
Another important precaution you should take is to shred sensitive documents before discarding them. This product IdentityTheftFixes.com advises readers on how to choose the right shredder for your needs. Key considerations in choosing a shredder must be:
- Security Some mills have security sensors, and some do not. If you and your family like to have fingers, buy one that does.
- Confetti cut: shredders that cross-cut or confetti cut are more expensive, but they are much more effective in preventing identity theft than the cheaper shredders that cut paper into strips that could easily be glued back together [
- Ability to cut through the plastic: many mills can now shred CDs and credit cards, which is very useful because CDs may also contain sensitive information, and unwanted or expired credit cards should always be completely destroyed, they are discarded.
- Price: shredders can range from $ 20 to over $ 1,000. IdentityTheftFixes.com recommends that you plan to spend at least $ 50, since anything less will probably not have the quality or durability you need.
Once you have a shredder, it will be faster and easier to shred credit card offers and other junk mail. You should also be sure to shred CDs or DVDs that may contain sensitive or personal information, outdated forms of identification such as drivers licenses or passports old, any document with a social security number, credit card number or other identifying information, medical records and even old documents that may contain sensitive personal information on your children. (It is easy to forget that children can also have their identities stolen. - Consult the Guide to protect our child identity theft for more information)
For more information on identity theft protection services, visit our protection service guide against identity theft.