Safety Tips

Identity Theft Protection

According to the U.S. Postal Service, there were almost ten million incidents of identity theft in the United States in 2004 at a cost of $5 billion to consumers.  Victims report spending 30 hours, on average, cleaning up after an identity crime at an average cost of $500.

Tips for preventing identity theft:

• Do not give out your personal information unless you initiate the contact or know the person or company with whom you are dealing. Also, never disclose personal information, such as a Social Security number or bank account number, in response to an email. Legitimate businesses will not ask you to do this.
• Do not disclose your credit card number to an online vendor unless it is encrypted and the site is secure. Look at the first part of the Web address on your browser. It should read "https://."
• Do not write your Social Security number or telephone number on checks or credit card receipts.
• Remove all documents with personal information from your hard drive before discarding your computer or sending it in for repair.
• Shred discarded documents, including pre-approved credit card applications, bank statements, store receipts and utility bills. "Dumpster divers" can gain access to your personal information if such items are thrown in the trash.
• Order your credit report at least twice a year and report any mistakes to the credit reporting agency in writing.
• Protect your wireless internet access with a password. Identity thieves can easily access private information on unprotected wireless networks.

Home Security Brochure

Detailing helpful home security and crime prevention measures

Home security brochure