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5 Ways to Stay Protected from the Risks of Identity Theft

 

 

Despite awareness, organizations, and residents in Boston, continue to be victimized by the effects of identity theft. While some circumstances are more minor than others, this increasingly growing crime can lead to many consequences for everyone involved.

The good news is it can be stopped with some simple precautionary habits.  Here are 5 steps your Boston business should be taking to stay protected from the risks of identity theft:

• Keep your social security number protected, always: This is an important aspect of keeping your information protected at all times. Stay away from carrying your Social Security Number whenever possible; this means keep it out of your wallet or out of your purse. Never provide these details to anyone who contacts you through telephone or email unless they are authorized to ask for it, and you trust the source.
• Be sure all online passwords are secure: Ensure that your computer passwords are protected and unique in characters. Do your best to create passwords that include a minimum of one upper case, one lower case, one numeral, and one special character, like # or ?. Always take the initiative to password-protect your cell phone as well.
• Go over your credit reports on a regular basis: Visit the annual credit report to obtain a credit report from each of the three major reporting agencies, Equifax, Transunion, and Experian. Review each with great detail to confirm details are accurate, and that there are no signs of suspicious activity. You can obtain one free report from each agency each year.
• If you suspect information theft, report it immediately: It’s suggested that you visit your credit cards website to view how each card is being used, ensuring your finances are secure. You also have the ability to set a notification for purchases that surpass a specific dollar figure. Any time your card is charged beyond that value, you’ll be informed by email or text. Most credit cards will supply this service at no cost, giving you an additional layer of protection.
• Never throw confidential documents in the trash – shred them: Thoroughly shred all documents containing confidential information, prior to tossing them away. Keep in mind that office shredders do not provide the same security as professional document shredding services, and unless you have an employee who can be assigned to this responsibility on a regular basis, quite often it leads to forgotten or lost documents. This scenario poses a substantial security threat to your company, as if documents land in the wrong hands you may be found responsible. The best approach that guarantees your safety is to turn to a document destruction company such as A1 DATASHRED in Boston.  If you are in the Boston region, contact A1 DATASHRED for a free no obligation quote.

Get in touch with us at 978-858-0200 for more information regarding our document shredding and hard drive shredding services.

August 13, 2018