Suspicion Can Protect You From Identity Theft
Why Being Suspicious Isn't A Bad Thing Where Identity Theft is Concerned
You really hate to think of yourself as a suspicious individual - someone who thinks there are criminals lurking in every corner - but the fact of the matter is that being that way sometimes can help keep you from being a victim of identity theft. While you don't want to see the evil in every person you meet, you need to protect your information from everyone - and that means people you might usually trust with it.
A Name Tag Means Nothing
You go to a restaurant, gas station or day spa and assume your credit card information is safe with the people who work there. You might want to think twice. Oftentimes the criminals involved with multiple cases of identity theft work at the institution where the information is stolen from.
Don't give your credit card number to anyone over the phone and when you're paying at a restaurant that requires the server to walk your credit card away from you, make sure you use a credit card with a $0 fraud liability policy and never use a bank card. This way you'll protect yourself if things should go wrong.
Don't Be Afraid to Be Rude
Don't worry about hurt feelings when it comes to preventing identity theft. If someone asks you for a credit card number to confirm a reservation, explain that you're not comfortable giving it over the phone and that you prefer not to due to identity theft concerns. If the person you're speaking with takes offense, it's their problem, not yours.
Monitor Your Credit Closely
Always use a credit monitoring service to monitor your credit report. Any suspicious activity should be handled immediately. Identity theft damages can be minimized by nipping it in the bud.