So you bought a house, huh? Signed about a million papers and now you may be hyperventilating? Been there. Done that. The good news is that many people know exactly what you are going through. The bad news is that many people know exactly what you are going through…..and some may be identity thieves. In all the hustle and bustle of buying your new home, have you done everything you can to protect yourself?
With identity theft up 3% in 2012, it is more important than ever to take the necessary steps to ensure your personal information stays private. The first step (and this is super hard for someone addicted to social media like me) is to refrain from posting your old or new address and the date of your move. Even pictures that have identifying information make it easy for identity thieves to make you an unwilling target.
Before moving, there are a few things you can do to make sure your move goes smoothly and your identity stays in tact! It is a good idea to know your bill schedule. If a bill normally arrives on the 15th of every month, and one month it doesn’t, call the company immediately to make sure your mail has not been intercepted.
There is no doubt that you will be doing quite a bit of shopping for your new home. Decorating is fun, but open credit cards are a prime target for identity thieves, so when your bills arrive make sure you check your account statements to verify your transactions. If you detect fraudulent activity call the credit card company as quickly as possible.
It’s not a bad idea to have a line of defense…someone always there to have your back…someone to watch those credit card accounts and alert you at the first sign of fraud. Meet LifeLock. As a member, LifeLock monitors your accounts and if they receive any indication that your personal information has been compromised, the Identity Alert Team will contact you via email or phone.
Check out how LifeLock works and while you’re at it, play the LifeLock for Life game on Facebook for a chance to win a $1,000 VISA gift card.