Start by reading these Top 10 Tips on Preventing Identity Theft, then continue below for more details on protecting your future.
As a general privacy protection measure, limit the use of your Social Security Number (SSN) when it is not required. For example, if any of your financial account numbers or passwords is your SSN, you should request the financial institution to give you a different number. Do NOT use the last four digits of your SSN, your mother's maiden name, or your birth date as a password for financial transactions.
In most cases, getting a new SSN would not be a good idea. The Social Security Administration (SSA) very rarely changes a person's SSN, even when there is a possibility that your SSN is used in fraudulent activities. There are also drawbacks in changing your SSN to a new number. The absence of any history under the new SSN would make it difficult to qualify for credit, finance your college education, rent an apartment, open a bank account, get health insurance, etc.
To find out more about how your SSN, the SSA published these resources:
Always review your credit card statements. If you spot purchases you did not authorize, contact the credit card issuer immediately.
Credit card companies and other credit issuing companies often evaluate credit information on you from the credit bureaus. They use this information to make unsolicited pre-approved and pre-screened credit and insurance offers. You can opt-out of these offers for either a five-year-period or permanently by visiting https://www.optoutprescreen.com or calling 1-888-5OPTOUT.
See how you stack up in this Identity Theft IQ Quiz provided by the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse http://www.privacyrights.org/itrc-quizl.htm.
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