Identity thieves steal more than numbers

for anyone wishing to make off with your assets.

Burglar alarms, motion detector lights, open space, fences and iron-barred windows are among the shields placed around your home to discourage burglars and break-ins.

Most of today’s automobiles are equipped with alarms to fend off theft.

Wallets, however, don’t come with such tools to foil identity thieves.

Most people carry a couple of numbers that make crooks salivate: the numbers on their Social Security card and driver’s license.

Add credit cards and checkbooks that may be in their purse or briefcase or car’s glove compartment and you’re a walking candy store

Chances are you know someone who’s been victimized by identity thieves. Most of them don’t talk about it willingly because they feel violated iwith all that personal information taken from them, stupid because a few simple steps could have protected them and frustrated because it takes some determination and detail work to repair the damage.

Almost $45 billion was ripped off from some 1.5 million folks in this country in 2021.

Identity theft has become so rampant there’s even a special insurance policy available for it.

Such insurance does not cover financial loss resulting from the theft. It offers cover- age for the cost of recovering your financial identity. This includes such expenditures as phone calls, making copies, mailing documents and attorney’s fees.

And there are deductibles. Some homeowner insurance policies include identity-theft coverage.

One of the first things lawenforcement personnel will tell you to do to guard yourself against identity thieves is to leave your Social Security card at home.

Another protective step is to shred all credit card offers and statements before disposing of them.

Officials also urge you not to put outgoing mail in your home mailbox but to place it in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox. This prevents crooks from stealing your mail to obtain all those numbers you use to obtain and maintain credit.

Don’t let your credit or store card out of your sight when using it. Employees of the shop or salon can make a copy of the card or run it through the embossing machine twice. While they may not use the copy themselves, they can sell it to others. It’s wise to swipe the card through the machine yourself when possible, such as in most grocery and department stores.

Make sure no one is hovering nearby to catch your personal identity number or your signature.

There’s a way to protect your checks, too. Write the dollar amounts and recipient’s name in capital letters. They’re more difficult to alter. And when you write the amount for which the check is made out, fill in that entire section. Start writing at the left-hand edge of the check and make sure you add a strong wavy line to the righthand end so no one can add anything.

Using credit cards online is peppered with pitfalls. Think of it as being akin to flashing your credit card around in a crowded bar or restaurant.

You’re never quite sure if anyone’s seen and remembered or written down the numbers. A wise move is to use one particular card for online purchases rather than spread these transactions over more than one card.

Make photocopies of all your credit cards and credit contact numbers and store them in a safe place that is easily accessed.

Check your credit report regularly and report any unusual activity immediately. The three major credit bureaus are Equifax (equifax. com), Experian (experian. com) and TransUnion (transunion.com). You can check online for their phone numbers.

If you suspect someone has stolen your financial identity, call one of them immediately and ask that a 90-day fraud alert be placed on your credit report. One call will cover all credit reports by all three bureaus.

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