Identity theft is a growing problem in Honolulu and the rest of the United States. Thieves steal personal information and use it for their personal gain or sell it to other criminals. Approximately five percent of identity theft victims are children. Children are targeted because the crime may not be detected for several years. Many victims do not recognize the theft until they apply for their first credit card. In Part 1, we discussed how thieves use the internet to steal private information. In Part 2 of this series, we’ll cover some things you can do to protect your personal information.
- Create and safely store a list of all credit card and bank card numbers that you keep in your wallet.
- Never keep your social security card or any information with your social security number on it in your wallet.
- Do not provide private information via email.
- Go paperless; cease all bank and credit card mailings.
- Promptly reconcile bank statements and verify charges on credit card bills. Some thieves start small to see who pays attention.
- Do not use a public computer for business or to make a purchase.
- Memorize your ATM pin and make sure no one is standing nearby when you use your ATM card.
- Never save financial information on your cell phone.
- Do not apply for a job online, unless the employer has a verifiable, secure web address (https://).
For more information about safer online banking, read this going paperless article.
