Identity Protection Recommendations

To best protect your identity, Identity Fraud, Inc. and leading experts recommend taking the following five main steps:

1) Understand how identity theft occurs and understand that identity theft is more than just credit card theft. There are over 25 types of identity theft, and thieves are becoming more sophisticated each day on how to profit from your information.

2) Review your FREE credit reports for accuracy and possible fraud. Under the FACT Act, you can obtain one free credit report from each main credit-reporting agency (Equifax, Experian, and TransUnion) once per year. For more details, click here.

3) Consider placing a FREE "Fraud Alert" on your credit files if you feel your personal information has been exposed and to restrict fraudulent accounts from being opened in your name. Simply call Equifax at: 1-800-525-6285. If successful, Equifax will automatically notify the other main credit bureaus.

4) Take sensible precautions. Shred important personal information before disposal, monitor your financial accounts, don't fall victim to scams and provide information to people that contact you by phone, mail, or email, secure your computer against viruses, spyware and malware, and generally be conscious of good protection practices and not disclosing your personal information to people that don't need to know.

5) Obtain identity protection before you become a victim. Identity Fraud, Inc. provides individual and family protection programs that include best-in-class victim assistance and identity insurance. If more protection is desired, you can build on the Core Identity Protection Plan foundation and secure credit monitoring and other tools at discounts.

Remember, your identity is a valuable asset that deserves special protection, just like you protect your home, autos, and health against loss.

Avoid becoming a statistic tomorrow, protect your identity today!