Welcome to the Private Eyes, Inc.
Identity Theft Resource Center.
At Private Eyes, Inc., security is our top priority. We hope you find these tips for keeping your identity safe helpful. In the future, we will have more articles here to keep you up to date on the latest information and technology to protect your credit score and your personal information. We look forward to providing you with this service.
- Protect your mail by mailing bills from a secure location and don't leave mail sitting in your mailbox.
- Shred any statements, documents, or records, which contain personal information after they are no longer needed.
- Do not keep information that you don't need in your purse or wallet. Specifically, do not carry your Social Security Card with you unless you know you will need it. Do not keep personal identification numbers attached to credit, debit or ATM cards.
- Store important information in a safe place in your home, and do not leave financial records lying around your house for prying eyes to see.
- Be safe online. Use anti-virus and anti-spy ware software, as well as a firewall, and update them all regularly. Be sure to set up your operating system and web browser software properly, and update them regularly. Avoid using obvious passwords like your birth date, your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.
- Never respond to an e-mail that asks you to transmit personal information over the Internet. Remember that your bank or credit card issuers already have your account numbers, PINs, access codes, passwords, Social Security number and other information they need. They won't e-mail you to ask for it.
- Beware of giving personal information over the phone. Know who you are dealing with and when in doubt, hang up and get the business's phone number from an independent source.
- If you believe your identity has already been compromised, there are a number of steps you should take. First, review your bank and financial activity carefully. Make a list of any fraudulent charges, carefully noting the date and time of the charge and where the charge occurred, to isolate any patterns that may surface. Even if you have not had any warning signs, we recommend that you check your credit report regularly to monitor for evidence of potential identity theft. The law requires that the 3 major credit reporting agencies--Experian, Equifax and TransUnion--provide you with a free copy of your credit report each year upon request. You can order the reports at http://www.annualcreditreport.com for free once a year without being forced to register for other services.
If the worst happens, and someone steals your information, gather all supporting evidence and file a police report. Remember to place a fraud-alert on your credit report by contacting the credit reporting agencies listed above, and cancel any accounts you believe have been compromised.
CEO Sandra James discusses ways to prevent your personal identity information from being stolen on Bay Area's KRON 4.
Click here to view the interview.
