Protect Your Account

Here are the steps that should be taken to prevent identity theft and misuse of the accounts that ultimately cost you:

1. Protect your password and PIN. When creating passwords or PINs, do not use the last four digits of your identity card number, name of mother as a girl, your birth date, pet names, or other numbers that is predictable by the thief. In addition, it is advisable to create a password that consists of a combination of letters and numbers.

Ask your financial institution if you can get additional protection to your account. When prompted to create a reminder question, do not use an easy question to answer is known by others. Well remember all your passwords, and do not write on any object inserted into your wallet.

Also, do not ever give any confidential information over the telephone to someone who claimed himself as an officer of a bank or credit card company.

2. Check the contents of the bag and wallet before leaving shopping.Robbing is the easiest way for criminals to obtain your identity and commit fraud. Before you go shopping, think about how much information will be obtained if the thieves managed to steal your wallet or purse.

Avoid carrying your social security card, birth certificate or passport unless extremely necessary. Do not carry extra credit cards unless you plan to use it.

3. Make a list of all credit card information and your savings account. The data is then stored in a safe place. Be sure to include your account number, expiration date and credit limit. In addition, also include a phone number or e-mail the customer service and fraud.

If your credit card is lost or stolen, check this list and immediately report to the company that issued the credit card on your losses. In addition to keep the costs of fraud, this action is useful to credit card companies are easy to do the tracking if the credit card is used again.

4. Check your credit report now and after the new year. One of the easiest ways to check whether there is abuse by the criminal's identity is by checking your credit report. Be sure to report all errors to the credit bureau.
5. Be sure to log off completely every time you complete a transaction online. Click the 'log off' to end your online session to prevent others from accessing your online information. Also, do not let the browser to remember your username and password.
6. Improve your computer security. How to install a firewall and software that provide antivirus, antispam, and spyware detection. Especially if you count often make transactions online. Make sure your computer has the latest protections and make sure you access the online financial accounts on pages that use encryption to secure.

7. Do not send e-mail containing personal information and your finances. Although computers have been well protected through a firewall, antivirus, internet security and encryption software or do not send e-mail containing personal and financial information. Therefore, the individual or company that receives such information does not necessarily have an adequate safety standards. Confirm first that the standard of online retailers have adequate internet security before the reply to the e-mail.

8. Immediately remove all e-mail requests for suspicious without reward. The hackers and spammers often mimic the sellers to lure a person's financial information. If you doubt the authenticity of an e-mail from a company doing business with you, do not click the button on the message. Rather, type the Internet address of the company in a browser, then log on as usual, then check your account information.