| Identity theft is on the increase. Fraudsters are | | | | Anyone can pass themselves off as anyone else |
| continuously looking for ingenious ways to steal | | | | when using the telephone. Fraudsters can pretend |
| your identity and use this for fraudulent purposes. | | | | to be employees from all sorts of organisations |
| Sometimes without even realising, you might find | | | | and try and obtain personal information from you. |
| yourself in circumstances and situations that put | | | | If you get a phone call from someone asking you |
| your identity at risk. Having someone else use | | | | lots of personal details, you can refuse to disclose |
| your personal details, assume your identity, steal | | | | this information. |
| your money, and / or commit fraud in your name | | | | If you are unsure of the true identity of the |
| is not a position you want to find yourself in. | | | | caller, tell them you will call them back. Source the |
| Having your identity stolen can be both financially | | | | phone number of the organisation yourself (never |
| and emotionally devastating. Therefore, it is in | | | | just call back on the number they give you) from |
| your best interest to be protected and we have | | | | the internet / yellow pages, and proceed with |
| provided you with some simple steps you can | | | | your conversation once you are comfortable with |
| take to help save your identity. | | | | whom you are speaking. |
| 1. Social Networking Sites | | | | 6. Be Wary Of Surveys |
| All too often people are just too willing to put all | | | | There are all sorts of surveys on the market and |
| of their personal details onto Social Networking | | | | lots of times these are set up to obtain personal |
| Sites such as Facebook, Twitter, MySpace etc. | | | | details for marketing purposes. However, unless |
| Often these sites are plastered with personal | | | | you know the organisation that is conducting the |
| information such as a person's date of birth, | | | | survey and are confident with disclosing |
| employment details, education history, contact | | | | information to them, err on the side of caution. |
| numbers, email addresses etc. People also freely | | | | Information such as where you bank, how much |
| post up personal photos which can be easily | | | | you earn, who lives in the house etc can be |
| copied. All of these very personal details recorded | | | | providing a criminal with a good picture of your |
| on your profile can be used by fraudsters who | | | | situation. Usually these surveys have a prize / |
| could build up enough information to pass | | | | reward / competition for completion and this is |
| themselves off as you and use your identity for | | | | where names, addresses, email address, contact |
| criminal activities. | | | | numbers etc are usually given. Take care at all |
| I have been amazed with Facebook. I set up a | | | | times. |
| Facebook profile and contacted random people to | | | | Also be wary of those that come knocking at |
| ask if I could be their friend. Within a couple of | | | | your door on the pretext of gathering information |
| weeks, I had amassed over 500 friends who | | | | for a survey or to save you money. Do not give |
| have all let me into their personal profiles and | | | | out any personal details to anyone, including phone |
| whom freely invite me to parties and events. I | | | | company representatives, power representatives |
| have no idea who these people are, but most | | | | etc. |
| importantly, they have no idea who I am and | | | | 7. Bank Accounts |
| what my intentions are from being a cyber friend | | | | Always check your bank statements and ensure |
| of theirs. Luckily for them I am of good character | | | | you report any suspicious / unknown transactions |
| with no untoward intentions. | | | | to your bank even if they are only small sums of |
| 2. Paperwork | | | | money. |
| All of us get inundated with paperwork and at | | | | Your bank will never email / SMS you and ask for |
| some stage we need to do a cull and throw | | | | your account details, PIN's etc. If you get any |
| some of it away. This might be old bills, obsolete | | | | emails / SMS's, even if they look genuine, never |
| letters, receipts, employment contracts, rental | | | | ever click on any links that ask for you to |
| agreements, loan contracts, bank statements etc. | | | | validate your bank account details. Don't disclose |
| It is important that you are very careful how you | | | | your banking details to anyone. Fraudsters are in |
| dispose of your personal paperwork, as most of | | | | the business of defrauding and they can be very |
| it will have sufficient information on it to allow | | | | convincing. They can come up with all sorts of |
| someone to steal your identity. | | | | convincing stories that trick you into providing |
| Ensure you never throw anything into the bin | | | | your banking details to them. Don't fall prey to |
| unless it has been torn up in millions of tiny pieces. | | | | these criminals. |
| The best way to do this is to invest in a simple | | | | 8. Internet Banking |
| paper shredder. The shredding can then be | | | | Be careful where you are when you log in to |
| thrown out or alternatively you could mulch or | | | | your bank's websites. Never use your internet |
| compost it. | | | | banking on a public computer / internet cafe as |
| 3. Passwords and PIN's | | | | information might be readily stored on these |
| These days we need passwords and PIN's for all | | | | computers or scammers might have installed a |
| sorts of things and coming up with new and | | | | programme onto the computer that enables them |
| innovate ones can be quite difficult. You need to | | | | to access your confidential information by |
| ensure you don't use simple passwords and PIN's | | | | recording keystrokes. |
| that someone might be able to guess such as | | | | Always ensure you log out of your banking sites |
| your date of birth, phone number, pets name, | | | | when you have finished with them. Never leave |
| partners name, licence plate etc. Choose | | | | these sites open on your computer. |
| passwords that are a combination of letters and | | | | 9. Valuable Personal Documents |
| numbers and don't use the same password / PIN | | | | Always ensure you protect your valuable personal |
| for all purposes. You wouldn't want your PIN to | | | | documents such as passports, driver's licences, |
| hire your videos to be the same as your internet | | | | birth certificates, marriage certificates etc. Store |
| banking password. | | | | them in a safe and secure place either at home |
| Never disclose your passwords and PIN's to | | | | or in a safe deposit box at your bank. |
| anyone, even your closest friend / relative / | | | | Your car is not a safe place to store your |
| partner. Never ever under any circumstance | | | | personal documents. If you are keeping valuable |
| provide passwords / PIN's to callers on the phone | | | | personal documents in your glove box, what are |
| or in reply to an email. A legitimate organisation | | | | you going to do if your car is stolen? |
| would never call / email you and ask you for this | | | | 10. Buying Goods From The Internet |
| sort of information. Remember to change your | | | | Be wary of the sites you visit to buy goods from |
| passwords and PIN's regularly. Memorise them | | | | the internet. Ensure the sites you buy from are |
| instead of writing them down. Don't copy them | | | | secure genuine sites. You can usually tell this by |
| onto paper and tuck this into your wallet / purse | | | | looking for a padlock at the lower section of your |
| or leave in your top drawer. What happens if | | | | screen and ensuring the URL starts with https. |
| you lose your wallet / purse or someone breaks | | | | You might like to consider having a credit card |
| into your home? | | | | with a very low limit that you use for your |
| 4. Lock Your Mail Box | | | | internet / overseas purchases. This way you |
| Putting a lock on your mail box will stop people | | | | potentially protect your main credit card from the |
| stealing your personal letters and obtaining your | | | | risk of fraud. |
| information or getting access to cheque books, | | | | It could be wise to only buy from sites that |
| credit cards etc which might be mailed out to you. | | | | transfer you to a bank website or organisation |
| If you are concerned about your mail being | | | | such as PayPal to collect the payment. This way |
| delivered to your home, consider getting a post | | | | you aren't disclosing your banking information / |
| office box. | | | | credit card details directly to the website business. |
| 5. Be Wary Of The Phone | | | | |