,  | CHANGE

RESOURCES

Contact Us
California Consumer Privacy Act Notice

When you visit our website, we collect your zip code or IP address to tailor your experience to your AAA club. We also collect information about how you use our site to analyze our traffic and improve our services. For more information about our privacy practices, please see our Privacy Policy.

CLOSE

Consumer Tips: 12 Tips to Safeguard Your Identity


According to the Department of Justice, an estimated 17.6 million people in the United States were victims of identity theft in 2014. In most cases, identity theft can be resolved with a call to your bank or credit card company. But in more extreme cases, identity thieves can wreak havoc in people’s lives, using personal information to apply for credit cards and mortgages, get medical services, or even file for income tax refunds.

Prevention is the best defense against identity theft. It’s important to keep personal information safe online and offline. Dumpster divers going through discarded mail can do as much damage as sophisticated hackers.

Here are 12 ways to safeguard your identity:

  1. Keep your Social Security card in a safe place; never carry it in your wallet or purse. Only give out your Social Security number or your child’s Social Security number if absolutely necessary.
  2. Choose strong passwords – at least six characters, with upper and lower case letters, numbers and punctuation marks, as allowed. Change them often.
  3. Protect your mobile device. There are apps available to help you bank, track finances and even do your taxes on your mobile device. Make sure you download apps from a reputable company, check the apps’ ratings and remember to protect your device with a strong password. Use the auto-lock feature to protect personal information.
  4. Shred unneeded receipts, credit offers, account statements and expired cards immediately.
  5. Review your credit report at least once a year. You can request a free annual credit report from each of the three national credit reporting companies at www.annualcreditreport.com.
  6. Beware of scammers. Never give out personal information to people on the phone or on the street. If a company asks you for personal information, call their official number to confirm the request is legitimate. Watch out for phishing emails that ask you to click on a link and input personal information.
  7. Avoid posting personal information such as address, date of birth, birthplace, Social Security number or phone numbers on social media.
  8. Use your router’s firewall. Most have one built in. Most computers also have a built-in firewall that you can turn on and off. Install anti-virus and anti-malware software on your computer. You can find those products in electronics stores and online at sites such as Amazon. Look for consumer ratings. Read up on which ones work best.
  9. Guard your mail. Ask a neighbor to retrieve it or have the post office hold it when you’re out of town. Drop important items into public mailboxes. It’s easy for people to steal mail from curbside mailboxes.
  10. Monitor your accounts every week to look for unauthorized charges, withdrawals or other irregularities.
  11. When taking money out of an ATM, make sure no one is watching you key in your PIN – or use your free hand to cover your typing hand as you enter your password.
  12. Don’t leave personal information on old hard drives or flash drives.


Finally, if you suspect you’ve been a victim of fraud, report it immediately. Visit www.identitytheft.gov for step-by-step checklists to deal with identity theft. For information about identity fraud expense coverage, call your AAA insurance agent or insurance customer service, or visit your local branch.