5 Tools to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft | by E-Stealth

The team at E-stealth asks, have you ever been a victim of identity theft? Do you know how it happened? E-stealth checked in with the FTC. The Federal Trade Commission’s Identity Theft program has reported some surprising numbers. E-stealth found, according to FTC research, that 80% of identity theft victims do not even know how it happened. That’s right. That means your identity information could be in someone else’s possession right now, says E-stealth, and you wouldn’t even know it until the damage was done.

E-stealth staff cites another FTC survey that showed 5% of people polled had been victims of identity theft over the past year. A report from the General Accounting Office, not a survey, estimated that 750,000 people have their identities stolen every year. E-stealth is committed to helping stop this invisible enemy. E-stealth asserts that the average American can do something to protect themselves from identity thieves. Here, to get you started, are five suggestions from e-stealth.

ONE: Make a habit to shred all private financial statements. E-stealth suggests destroying bank statements, tax documents, pre-approved credit card offers, and any other documents that contain private fiscal information. These, reports E-stealth, are some of the first places identity thieves look for your information.

Pre-approved credit card offers are the perfect bait for identity thieves, says E-stealth.  The fewer you receive, the better. If you get lots of credit card offers, call the opt-out line at 1-888-567-8688 to remove your name from their junk mail lists. As long as you’re at it, suggests E-stealth, call the national Do Not Call registry at 1-888-382-1222. Calling this number will stop unsolicited telemarketing calls in which you might divulge personal information.

E-stealth emphasizes the importance of reviewing your credit report once a year. You can get a free credit report by calling 1-877-322-8228. While monitoring your credit report, says E-stealth, look for suspicious activity. You also have the option of subscribing to a credit protection service to receive notices of any suspicious credit changes.

Do not leave mail sitting around in your mailbox. The team at E-stealth knows this sounds simple, but thieves find it just as easy to go through your mailbox as you do. Mail theft is a sure way for an identity thief to get your personal information. E-stealth suggests sending outgoing checks and bills from a secure location, a USPS drop box or a post office. If you think you’ve been a victim of mail theft, E-stealth recommends that you call 1-800-ASK-USPS and report it to your local postal inspector.

Be defensive about your personal information, says E-stealth. Guard your personal information. Do not give it out freely. Some companies will try to trick you, sending an email requesting “validation” of your personal financial information. E-stealth warns you not to reply to these inquiries, even if they are from a company you do business with. It is a common form of scam, says E-stealth.

E-stealth hopes you use these simple protective steps as a starting point to greater personal security, and a greater awareness of the techniques that identity thieves use to attack your credit. In these ways you can learn to protect yourself.

For more information about the products and services offered by E-stealth, contact the company at:

950 Herrington Rd.

Suite C-179

Lawrenceville, GA 30044

800-865-2381