Page 62 - October 2019 FOP

A contribution from a Chicago Lodge 7 Magazine sponsor
How to protect yourself from identity theft
Your identity is your treasure — of key
pieces of critical information including
your name, Social Security number, address, phone number and your mother’s maiden name. Thieves are also after any account numbers or pass-
words they can use to get access to your money. An identity thief can use your information to:
• Make charges to your credit cards or open new ones.
• Counterfeit your checks and clone your ATM/debit cards.
• Open accounts or take out loans in your name.
• Obtain driver’s licenses and receive medical services.
• Receive government benefits.
• File fraudulent tax returns.
• Apply for jobs and rent apartments.
• Break the law and blame you.
It’s common for thieves to access your information electroni- cally, but they’re not above digging through your trash. Common methods include:
• Stealing mail or trash and researching public data.
• Stealing payment/ID cards or the information on them.
• Eavesdropping on public transactions.
• Hacking information from corporate databases.
• Impersonating an organization or business through email
Imagine someone falsely impersonating you — an- other “you” running around, renting an apartment, draining your accounts and even maxing out credit cards in your name. This is the unfortunate re-
ality for those who have suffered from identity theft, and there are scores of thieves out there who can’t wait to live your life to the fullest.
(phishing).
• Viewing information you provide on social networking
websites.
Here’s how to stop thieves in their tracks:
• Be careful when providing your Social Security number.
• Shred all charge receipts, insurance forms, checks, state- ments, expired credit cards, and credit offers and appli- cations.
• Choose intricate passwords for your online logins.
• Use a password to protect any sensitive information on
your personal computer.
Implement safety tools such as a firewall or antivirus pro- gram on your computer.
Always verify sources requesting information and only pro- vide what is necessary.
Be careful about how much personal information you post on social networks.
Beware of conducting business online over free or unpro- tected wireless networks. Free can mean less security.
MATT WISEMAN
62 CHICAGO LODGE 7 ■ OCTOBER 2019
Finance
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Identity protection services such as ID theft insurance provide coverage based on policy limits. Some only cover certain forms of ID theft, like electronic theft, while others cover lost wages. Visit www.ftc.gov to learn more.
Matt Wiseman is the director of marketing at ISPFCU — Your Law Enforcement Credit Union. Membership at ISPFCU is open to all Illinois law enforcement employees and their families. Join ISPFCU today at www.ispfcu.org. Matt can be reached by email at mwise- man@ispfcu.org or by phone at 800-255-0886.