Best Practices to Prevent Financial Identity Theft
In addition to ensuring your home remains secure with a system from Mountain Alarm, please remember to protect your identity as well. Financial identity theft continues to cost Americans billions of dollars each year. Guard against these opportunistic scammers and thieves by following these helpful tips:
• Check your credit report regularly - Keeping up to date with your credit report allows you to spot any unfamiliar activities and mitigate potential harm.
• Protect your Social Security Number - Your Social Security Number should never be shared or used except in instances where you know this information is safe. Never email it to an unknown source.
• Employ safe internet practices - Protect your personal financial information by employing the best internet security practices. This includes being able to recognize and avoid phishing emails. Also keep your anti-malware software updated.
• Protect information to avoid shoulder-surfing - You never know who may be behind you when doing transactions at vulnerable places like ATMs and in the checkout line. Protect your information by keeping a safe distance from strangers while entering card numbers, passwords, or PINS.
• Be mindful of phone scams - Some are obvious while others can be more sophisticated. Don’t offer sensitive information over the phone. For instance, legitimate financial institutions will never ask you for your PIN over the phone. Once you suspect a scammer is at work, immediately hang up and report the attempted fraud.
We want to see all our Mountain Alarm family stay safe, with your financial identity secure. Please call us at 1-888-349-3455 if we can assist in any way.