Did you know that nearly one-third of Americans have been victimized by identity theft? Meanwhile, over 300,000 people are fooled by phishing, smishing, and vishing attacks annually.
While virtually anyone can bitten by ID theft, there are things you can do to lessen your odds of being victimized.
Considering that 87% of people leave personal data exposed online, most leave themselves open to potential issues. It’s also important to note that people between the ages of 30 and 39 years old are the most probable ID theft victims. However, while that demographic should be especially vigilant, everyone should be on their guard to avoid victimization.
Here are six ways to lower your odds of becoming an ID theft victim. You’ll see there are lots of variables within the realm of your control.
- Use Strong and Unique Passwords
About one-quarter of Americans use the types of passwords that make the jobs of ID theft perpetrators easy. In other words, they use easy passwords like “123456”, “abc123”, or even “111111”. Some even choose ridiculous passwords like…wait for it…”Password.”
If you want to lower your odds of becoming an ID theft victim, steer clear of passwords that are easy to guess. In addition to the weak passwords mentioned, you should avoid using passwords that include personal information like your birthdate, the name of family members or pets, or other bits of information that are simple to guess.
Create passwords that are hard to guess. You can do so by using uppercase and lowercase letters, special characters, and numbers.
- Enable Two-Factor Authentication
Another way to protect yourself from ID thieves is to enable two-factor authentication. It requires a second type of verification such as a code through a text message. When you have access to the extra layer of protection that two-factor authentication affords, you can take advantage of it to put more layers of protection between you and identity thieves.
- Monitor Your Financial Accounts Regularly
It’s also a good idea to carefully monitor any financial statements from banks, credit cards, investments, and other things at least monthly. That way, you can report any suspicious activity.
- Guard Your Personal Information
You should also carefully guard your personal information. Whether your birth date, banking information, security numbers, or other personal data, be careful about sharing these credentials over the phone or email.
If you’re uncertain about the identity of anyone making requests for this information, don’t share personal information. All it takes is one mistake to cause serious problems that expose you to ID theft.
- Shred Sensitive Documents
Shred documents that you don’t need. So, if you have statements from medical treatment, credit cards, investment accounts, or bank accounts, shred them before throwing them out. A paper shredder won’t set you back a ton. But it can spare you a ton of frustration since no one will steal your personal information and turn your life upside down.
- Secure Your Devices
Securing your devices is another way to prevent ID theft. Installing anti-malware and antivirus applications is key–and so, too, is ensuring you have the most up-to-date versions. You also need to update browsers and operating systems so that you don’t let your guard down.
Doing these things can help lower your odds of being the next ID theft victim. But here’s the thing. Being the victim of ID theft is one thing while being accused of committing ID theft is another.
If you experience the latter scenario, your best bet is to retain legal representation. It’ll be a roller coaster experience, the sort no one wants to go through, but a criminal defense attorney can help you challenge charges of aggravated ID theft.
