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Three Critical Tips For Preventing Medical Identity Theft and Financial Identity Theft


Tip #1: Invest In A High Quality Shredder "Dumpster Diving" is the oldest and most common way for identity thieves to get useful information about you. Reduce your exposure to becoming a victim of Identity Theft by investing in a high quality shredder. Shredders have become a household necessity and we recommend buying a high-end version for two important reasons. First, if you go for the cheap version you'll be emptying it all the time. You’ll spend more time emptying it than actually shredding. Second, when you get sick of emptying it, you stop using it. So avoid this trap and save yourself the time and money by investing in a reliable, large volume shredder.

According to the Federal Trade Commission "Victims spend on average $1,200 in out-of-pocket expenses and an average of 175 hours in your efforts to resolve the many problems caused by identity thieves."

Tip #2: Get Or Update Your Anti-Spy or Anti-Theft Software Immediately Your computer contains massive amounts of personal information about you. Everything from passwords, emails, and account numbers make you completely vulnerable to hackers without up to date anti-virus and anti-spy software. Don’t rely on free or trial versions because if you let them expire or don’t update them, you’ll be paying a lot more than the $50 to $100 it costs for a good subscription program. One virus or hack could easily cost you thousands. Just do it right the first time and save yourself the aggravation and expense.

We'll say it again: According to the Federal Trade Commission "Victims spend on average $1,200 in out-of-pocket expenses and an average of 175 hours in your efforts to resolve the many problems caused by identity thieves."

Tip #3: Invest In Some Identity Theft Protection and Restoration Insurance The concept of identity theft insurance and others forms of insurance all function under the same principal. Insurance is best thought off as an option to transfer risk. If you become a victim, you may need to hire an attorney, spend hours restoring your credit or name, and depending on when you become aware of it, you may have to pay some portion of the theft. So transfer the risk to a company who has the tools to monitor your identity and expertise to restore it if you become a victim. This is a no-brainer in our technology-based times.

We think it's worth saying it again: According to the Federal Trade Commission "Victims spend on average $1,200 in out-of-pocket expenses and an average of 175 hours in your efforts to resolve the many problems caused by identity thieves."