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Most identity thieves are targeting your social security number, your bank account, credit card information and all the corresponding PINs and passwords. When an identity thief has targeted you, it’s hard to prevent the crime. However, there’s lots you can do to make it as hard as possible on them.

If you want to keep your risk to a minimum, here’s what you need to be aware of.

1. Personal computer: These days, it’s ridiculously easy for someone to hack into your computer files from anywhere in the world. It’s important that you have some essential protective software such as antivirus and anti-spyware programs. A firewall is also critical. And these days, there is some good identity theft software available that gives you added protection from hackers. Your first step is to use a password that’s hard to crack in order to keep your information safe. It shouldn’t be any less than 8 characters, preferably 10 or more. It should include both letters and numbers. And it shouldn’t be something easy to crack like your birthday or anniversary.

2. Trash: If you throw it away, no doubt you think it doesn’t have any value. However, your garbage is a prime target of identity thieves, because it’s often a goldmine of valuable information that can be used for fraudulent purposes. Major targets are those credit card solicitation letters. It’s critical that these are completely destroyed before they leave your house.

3. Mail Delivery: Most people don’t have mailboxes that lock. But your mailbox is a prime target for someone who’s after your personal information. Think about all the financial documents that are sent to your home via the mail. Your credit card and bank statements alone are all a thief needs.

4. Lockers: If you’re serious about identity theft protection, any place you store your handbag or wallet needs to be locked securely. This means the locker at your fitness club or at your place of work. When you use your own lock instead of one provided by the facility, the thief won’t have access to the extra key.

5. Handbag and wallet: Always be aware of and protect either of these two things. For many people, their wallet or handbag contains all the information an identity thief needs to facilitate his crime. This includes your credit cards, checkbook, and bank card, not to mention any PINs you’ve written down.

6. Personal and financial information: Always be wary of divulging any details of your personal finances. It’s easy to disguise a request for your personal information as coming from a legitimate organization, but sometimes it’s really someone just posing as your bank or credit card customer service representative. This can happen either over the phone or on the internet. Giving out details of confidential matters can just be second nature in these cases.

Identity theft is a growing problem, and many people are worried that they will become victim to this faceless crime. That’s why it’s so important to learn some tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft. Learn more about how to protect yourself at Identity Theft Facts.

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