10 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

Loes Knetsch ^©

How can I prevent identity theft?

You can protect yourself from identity fraud by carefully deal with your identity, passport, ID card or driving license. Do not share your data and documents with the wrong people. Don’t make from your identity a “gift”.

10 Ways to Prevent Identity Theft

1. Keep your ID in a safe place

Stolen passports, ID cards, and driving licenses are popular among criminals. That’s because original ID’s are more difficult to falsify. The scammer buys the identity of someone who looks like him online. It is difficult to check and detect this type of false identity fraud. Never let anyone copy your ID card. Did you know that it has been forbidden by law that car salesman, hotels, or phone companies ask for a copy of your ID? You can use an ID cover. This is a cover that makes your tax number and passport photo invisible. Or let them write down the data they need to know for their registration. When you are emailing your data, you can blur parts of your ID partially. Go to Facepixelizer

2. Secure your mailbox

When your mailbox is outside of your house, you should secure it against angling. They steal bank cards and PINs. Or payslips, annual statements, and insurance papers. Provide a lock on your mailbox and stick a stiff brush behind the flap. Do not choose for your own convenience, lock it!

3. Give your digital accounts double security

Hackers can break into your computer or your account email or social media. That way, they steal personal information or send messages under your name. Protect your accounts with dual authentication. You will receive an additional verification code via text message or via an app. A scammer cannot do anything without your phone, tablet or computer.

4. Be alert to chat tricks and phone calls

Scammers may call you and tell you they are an employee of a bank or business. Before you know it, you give them your login codes. Be alert to this. Tell them, you will call them back. Find the company’s phone number and explain who you are, how you were approached and what he/she has asked.

5. Buying or selling? Do not send copies of your ID card

Some scammers are advertising (online) with something you’d like to have, e.g. concert tickets, accommodation, a nice job. Sometimes they ask you to send a copy of your ID or other documents. Don’t do that!

6. Don’t click directly on a link to a login page in emails

Scammers may send you a phishing mail. This is an email that looks like a mail from the government, a bank or another well-known company. Almost always they say that it is necessary to take action. The text will give you the feeling you miss out on something. In the email, they ask you for personal information or to log in by clicking on a link. This link will take you to a fake website. Do not click on any link. Find yourself the right web address, for example, your bank and surf then directly to the service. Did you know that they can buy complete packages of fake websites in Russia for only $65?

Watching this will make you an expert!

7. Prevent fraud with a copy of your ID

Organizations may request a copy of your identification. These copies are often protected very well, but not always. Fraudsters can open an online bank account or purchase a phone subscription with a copy of your identity. Make copies of your ID card unusable for scammers. Use Facepixelizer before you send your ID.

8. Use the KopieID app.

Copy ID app download
Itunes-apple store Google play store Windows phone

9. Destroy personal information in old documents or computers

Scammers can search through your trash to payslips, annual statements or insurance documents. Also, destroy data if you dispose of your old computer, tablet or phone, it may fall into the wrong hands. Shred or tear up old data, documents and thereby your identity and address. Do not put your computer on the road for the garbage collection service.

10. Be careful on social media

Scammers may collect information about you via e.g. Google, Facebook or Twitter. They carefully collect everything about you and create a profile card of you. They then act on your behalf. Be therefore very careful about what you share through social media. Never show online pictures of your passport, ID card or driving license. Once online, always online, even when you’ve deleted your message for the eye. So if you are proud of your driving license, do not show your pass widely available online!

I hope that I have helped you with my post about 10 ways to prevent identity theft.

We all need to stay our “unique” self 🙂

Your life will be a blessed and balanced experience if you first honor your identity and priority. ~ Russell M. Nelson Click To Tweet

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Bonus: Has someone stolen my identity?

Google your picture or your name ones in a while and see where it pops up. You can search for similar images on Google to see if your image is misused by someone else. Click here for Google image search.

It is not always easy to find a safe environment on the internet, there is a lot going on. Good things, but certainly also bad things. The last couple of years I am active on the web with writing articles for websites. I am very lucky to have found the unique Wealthy Affiliate community, a safe and ad-free environment to work from.