Give out any personal financial information over the phone if you
didn't initiate the call. "If someone calls and says he is trying
to verify information and ‘just' needs your Social Security number,
that's a scam," says Linda Foley,
an identity-theft victim who now runs the Identity Theft Resource
Center (www.idtheftcenter.org).
Conduct sensitive business on your cell phone in public. It's bad
etiquette, and it can also be a costly mistake if an identity thief
is lurking nearby and you let some key information slip. (As long
as your phone is a digital model, there is little chance of the
signal being intercepted.)
List your number. Your phone number is one of the key pieces of
information a company may use to verify your identity. Why put it
right there in the phone book for a potential thief?
Do:
Cut off telemarketers by registering with the national Do Not
Call system (888-382-1222, www.donotcall.gov). Blocking phone
solicitations helps you avoid unintentionally divulging personal
information, and it also keeps your number out of direct-marketing
databases, which can be hacked into or sold.
Protect your calling card. It's best to not carry your card at
all, but if you need to pull it out, watch out for "shoulder
surfers," who could sell your calling-card number or use it
themselves. Some thieves use binoculars and telescopes to spy on
victims in crowded areas.
Check your bill carefully each month for unauthorized use of your
calling card.
Question anyone who asks for your Social Security number. It has
become a ubiquitous identifier, but in most cases it is not truly
necessary. Ask the business to come up with another identification
number for you.
