Don’t Re-Gift Your Identity For The Holidays

The holiday season is bonus season for identity thieves.

Think about it: there are more people shopping online, using ATMs and pulling out their credit cards than any other time of year. These are ripe opportunities for criminals. 

Which means some extra vigilance and caution can pay off for you by keeping your personal information—and reputation—safe and secure. Here are a few suggestions on how best to protect your identity:

Picky passwords. The best passwords are long and complex. One technique for selecting passwords is “mnemonics,” which is coming up with a phrase and combining the first letter of each word. 

For example, using the phrase “I like to ski in the mountains every winter,” you could create the password “iltsitmew.” Then, mix up lowercase and uppercase, and throw in special characters. Now the password could become “iltS!itMeW!” It’s complicated for a stranger but easy for you to remember.

If it smells phishy, it probably is. Phishing is a fake email masquerading as communication from a place you know, asking for personal information. To prevent a phishing attack, never give out personal information, don’t trust links or attachments in unsolicited emails and even if the link comes from a trusted source, make sure the email is legitimate. 

Tipoffs that an email might be phishy: a generic greeting with spelling or grammar mistakes, link to an unrecognized website or a message that creates a sense of urgency.

Destroy, don’t dump. Identity thieves can uncover a treasure trove in a dumpster. Always shred personal and sensitive papers, including credit card information—don’t toss them in your garbage.

PIN protection. When you’re using an ATM or paying at a store register, cover your personal identification or credit card number from view by strangers.

Consider adding identity theft coverage to your home or condo policy.

Contact us for all of your insurance needs! 

Illinois and Wisconsin residents, at R Hobbs Insurance Agency, we can work with you to make sure you’ve got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at (847) 680-0888 or send us a note at [email protected]. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what’s important to you is protected!

Photo by Nadine Shaabana on Unsplash

Content source: Kemper