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ID ALERT
Guidelines | Recommendations | Resources
General guidelines for personal information security
Here are some simple steps experts and victims recommend to help prevent identity theft and limit the damage if it happens to you.
- Guard your Social Security Number assiduously. Don’t carry your card with you. Don’t put your SSN or driver’s license # on your checks. Don’t give your SSN to anyone unless absolutely necessary (tax forms, employment records, most banking, stock and property transactions). The SSN is the key criminals use to unlock your finances.
- Don’t carry extra credit cards, your birth certificate or your passport with you except when necessary. Reduce the number of credit cards you use to a minimum.
- Arrange the documents and cards in your wallet on a photocopy machine and copy both sides of each license, credit card, ATM card, health insurance card, etc. Keep these copies in a safe place. If your wallet is lost or stolen, you will have the numbers to call immediately.
- Order new checks that use only your first initial with your last name. If someone steals your checkbook, he won’t know whether you sign your checks with your first name or just your initials – but your bank will know. Arrange to pick up your new checks at your bank instead of having them mailed to you.
- Get a paper shredder (crosscut shredders work best). Destroy all mail, credit card offers and papers you throw out that contain sensitive information. Identity thieves need only your name, address and SSN – which they can obtain from trashed mail or wallet contents.
- Consider telephone solicitors suspect. Never confirm or provide any personal information (date of birth, mother’s maiden name, ATM pin numbers, address) unless you initiated the call.
- Send all outgoing mail from your post office. If you can, lock your mailbox. Try not to let mail stay in your mailbox for long.
- Online, before providing personal information to a website read its privacy policy and make sure it provides an encrypted connection before you make a credit card purchase. Look for seals of approval from online security firms such as Verisign or Entrust. Secure pages show a padlock symbol in the lower right corner of your browser and have “https” addresses. Avoid sites that ask for more than your name, address, phone number and credit card number.
- Update your virus protection software today and regularly hereafter, or whenever a new virus alert is announced.
- Install a firewall program – especially if you have a high speed internet connection such as cable, DSL or T-1.
- Don’t store financial information on your laptop. If you must, use a password. Don’t use the automatic log-in and password feature.
- Keep a separate credit card with a lower limit exclusively for online transactions.
- Create passwords and PINS (Personal Identification Numbers) that are unpredictable – don’t use the last four digits of your SSN, your date of birth, middle name, etc. Remove all PINS and passwords from your wallet or purse.
If you suspect you are a victim of identity fraud:
- Call the fraud divisions of the credit reporting agencies and place a “fraud alert” on your name and SSN. Any company or creditor must then contact you first to authorize new credit. Ask the credit agencies to send you copies of your reports – identity theft victims get them free!
- File a police report in the jurisdiction where the theft happened. If you suspect mail was used, notify your local postmaster.
- Call the FTC – the national clearinghouse for complaints by victims of identity theft – at 877-IDTHEFT. File it’s ID Theft Affadavit, which alerts companies and organizations that may have fraudulent accounts opened in your name.
For more information on protecting your identity:
If you have additional questions, please contact:
News & Public Affairs
205 Cope Admin. Building
Middle Tennessee State University
Murfreesboro, TN 37132
(615) 898-2919
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