Identity theft stories are becoming too close to us for comfort. Whether you are a high-profile individual or a regular person, the threat of identity theft is at an all time high. Being a victim of identity theft will often lead to financial loss and can even lead to criminal charges on yourself in extreme cases.

 

Information is power and there is no information more important than you than your own personal identity. In order to protect yourself from the possibility of identity theft, there are a few measures that you should consider taking.

 

 

All the documents that you throw away may contain all the information a criminal needs in order to steal your identity. Even simple things such as your full name may be dangerous in the wrong person's hands. When you are throwing away documents that contain any personal information (especially bills, financial information, and medical documents) make sure that they are shredded correctly. To increase the level of personal security, you should also consider dividing up the shredded documents into different recycle boxes or garbage bags. This will ensure that the documents cannot be easily pieced together.

 

 

 

Never give out your information unless you are 100% sure of the receiver. Whether it is through telephone, internet, mail or even in person, you should only give out the bare minimum information that you have to and withhold as much as you can. For example, when filling out forms, it is often better to skip all the optional fields unless it is profitable for you to do so. In many of the forms that you face, vital personal information such as SIN may be optional. Leave those fields blank whenever possible and always question where your information is going.

 

 

We buy things on the computer, we communicate on the computer and we do virtually everything on the computer. This leaves a large window of opportunity for criminals since there are so many different ways to steal your personal information. Only submit information on trusted websites and always double check the exact address of those sites as well. There are many phishing sites that will utilize similar names to well known sites to trick the users. Always have the latest version of anti-virus and anti-spyware programs installed on your computer. Think twice before downloading or simply clicking on any links. You identity is priceless and deserves high level of protection.

 

For more information regarding identity theft and preventative measures, please visit the JB MacLean Consulting website. You will have access to additional information related to cyber criminal activities and related security measures that you'll be able to enforce to protect your valuable information. If you require additional security measures and would like to speak to a professional please contact the professionals at JB MacLean Consulting Inc. for personalized security solutions.