How to Keep The Grinch From Stealing Your Identity
The holiday season is in full swing, and so are identity thieves! We are decking the halls and making merry with family and friends, but so are identity thieves. The holidays mean there is a 30% higher chance of being a target to identity thieves. Don’t let the Grinch steal your Christmas this year!
If you want to keep holly-jolly in 2019 and keep your confidential data secure, then BEST Shredding has the following 4 tips to stay away from those Data Thief Scrooges:
1. Avoid online bargains from unknown sources
Identity fraudsters know that you are looking for good deals at this expensive time of year, and know that holiday shoppers will be on the lookout for promo codes and save. Be wary of texts and emails that pop up from unknown sources. Stick to reputable sites such as www.retailmenot.ca when looking for an online bargain.
2. Avoid passing your personal info on a public Wi-Fi
The free Starbucks Wi-Fi is tempting to use, but your data is at its most vulnerable in these places! Be especially wary of using your mobile device to make purchases and providing your personal information. Make sure that all personal information is sent only on a secure server to protect your identity. In addition, always research retailers you plan to buy from, and if possible only shop online with businesses you trust.
3. Look out for Point-of-Sale Skimming
Credit card skimming devices steal your credit card number, thus exposing you to credit card theft! Skimmers can have mismatched colours from the brand’s colours or may overlap with text or arrows pointing to the debit card slot. Therefore, when withdrawing from an ATM, check for these few things to make sure your information stays safe.
In addition, new high-tech devices called ‘shimmers’ are capable of stealing your bank card information when your card is inserted into the machine. Avoid this scam by using cash wherever possible, or personally swipe your credit card rather than having the cashier do it.
4. Mix up your passwords
When shopping online, make sure to mix up the email and password combinations to make your passwords harder to be determined. It may seem to be a waste of time to remember multiple passwords, but imagine how much more time will be taken if you need to deal with cancelling all of your cards?
Lastly, when the holidays are over, continue to keep your information secure! BEST Shredding can help protect your personal information with NAID AAA-Certified paper shredding and information destruction. Fill out the form below to get more information on our services: