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Protecting Yourself Against Identity Theft
1LFHA6c. Don’t use an automatic log-in feature that saves your user name and password, and always log off when you’re finished. That way, if your laptop is stolen, it’s harder for a thief to access your personal information.
• Before you dispose of a computer, delete all the personal information it stored . Deleting files using the keyboard or mouse commands or reformatting your hard drive may not be enough because the files may stay on the computer's hard drive, where they may be retrieved easily. Use a “wipe” utility program to overwrite the entire hard drive.
• Look for website privacy policies . They should answer questions about maintaining accuracy, access, security, and control of personal information collected by the site, how the information will be used, and whether it will be provided to third parties. If you don't see a privacy policy or if you can't understand it, consider doing business elsewhere.
Let’s Review __________________________________
Protecting Your Accounts
If you were to be the victim of identity theft, could you remember all the accounts you would need to close? Accounts like credit cards and bank accounts should be closed immediately. Make a list of all the accounts and account numbers that you would need to close should you be a victim of identity theft. Transfer the list to a notebook or log that you can keep in a safe place with easy access.
Account Name Account Number Online Password
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