Identity theft is taking place so fast that Federal Bureau of investigation mentions it to be the fastest growing crime problems in American. The thieves rob and fraudulently use addresses, names, bank account information, social security numbers, credit card number an other financial and personal information of more than 10 million Americans annually. Therefore learning about how these robbers get to your personal information would be the first step you can take to prevent identity theft.

At corporate level

The thieves make headlines after they are successful in breaking into a huge consumer database to steal thousands of names and this is the only common way identity theft takes place on corporate level. Identity theft mainly occurs from inside where the insiders might often use the employer’s access to the credit reporting info to reach the confidential personal data. Additionally employees can be bribed and conned by some outsider to access information. Therefore the best step you can take is using paper shredder to completely destroy your trash box of all the important financial information.

At personal level

Identity theft would be less publicized if it occurs on personal level but the countless number of ways through which it might occur at this level is just distressing. Here, the most common or simple method is finding or stealing your wallet and by searching in your trash box. Identity theft is also simple as peering over shoulders of someone when at their local bank or at the ATM. Therefore you should take certain steps to ensure you are careful about your data and stay cautious when using your credit. As high profile hacking at corporate database demonstrates that nobody is fully safe from this crime there are some precautions which can minimize the odds of being robbed of identity.

Taking precautions

Your social security number: You should know that your social security number is the most important piece of personal information and protecting it should be your first priority. Make sure you don’t print this number of any of your personal identification. Furthermore, don’t have it printed on the checks but can write it on rare occasions when needed. You should also not carry the SSN in your wallet and prevent using it as your personal identifier whenever possible.

 Protecting your mail: If you don’t want your mail box to be an attractive target make sure you reduce all the unsolicited offers. Therefore cancel out all the pre approved credit card offers and insurance offers either by calling the agency or through their website. In case you still receive them in your mail then shred them off before discarding them.

Protect trash box: Items which you discard including your ATM receipts, credit card offers, credit receipts or statements and bank statements all include your personal information. It would not take much effort for thieves to collect your information and use it for their benefit. Therefore minimize these possibilities by shredding all the papers. Even when you have already used and have some old credit cards make sure to raze them off completely.