How to Prevent Identity Theft #LifeLockSafety

This is a partnered post with LifeLock. All opinions are my own, and may differ from yours.

We’re living in a digital world, and beefing up your digital security is #1 on my list. Many times identity theft occurs through Phishing scams by someone pretending to represent a company you affiliate with and reaching out to you digitally. The email may look legitimate, however here are some red flags to help you decipher:

• a company will never reach out to you by email and ask for sensitive information i.e. social security numbers, account numbers, etc.
• always check the “from” email – many times that email address is a key indicator that it’s not from the company they claim to represent
• the phone number on the email isn’t one you recognize

If you get an email you are unsure about, it’s best to NOT click the links or call the number within the email. Close the email and go through your regular banking or financial website to sign in and check details about your account. You can also call the number to your institution via their main webpage to verify whether they’ve tried to reach out to you.

Another digital security must is protecting your computer with a strong firewall and anti-virus program and remember to change your passwords every few months. Use strong passwords (at least 8 characters long) for everything that’s considered sensitive. 

My next piece of advice to preventing identity theft is paying attention to your surroundings when using credit cards and providing other sensitive information. Whether you’re updating a form with your doctor’s office or simply paying for gas at the pump, keep a watchful eye of onlookers looking to swipe your information. Immediately return your credit card to your wallet so your credit card number can not be remembered, or worse an onlooker snaps a picture without your knowledge.

Lastly, take security precautions at home. Shred any documents with identifying information. I shred everything with my name and address, even junk mail. People will dumpster dive and use that information to their advantage so it’s best to take that extra step in protecting your identity.

Credit monitoring is not proactive identity theft protection. These days you have to be one step ahead of the bad guys. Using a program like LifeLock that includes 5 points of protection is a great way to do just that. Their 5 points of protection include: 

• Monitoring your identity
• Scanning for security threats
• Responding to identity theft
• Tracking your credit score
• 1 million total service guarantee 

LifeLock mentions this about their services, “LifeLock dives deep to discover the schemes today’s thieves are using to steal personal information, from old-school collection techniques to sophisticated technologies. We continuously monitor vulnerable information for threats, alert you when we determine a risk, and work to help educate law enforcement to combat this growing trend.”

Want to give #LifeLockSafety a try? Save 10% off with promo code: LifeLockSafety. Or enter our giveaway for your chance to win a 1 year LifeLockUltimate membership!

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