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DO:
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Protect your mail by removing it from
your mailbox as soon as possible.
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Buy a shredder. It is a small price
to pay for protecting your identity and financial information.
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Shred all paperwork with any
personally identifying information, especially documents with your
Social Security number and/or date of birth. Shred all receipts
containing credit card numbers, banking information, credit card offers
or any other financial documents.
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Protect your wallet/purse. Never
leave them unattended.
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Carefully review your monthly
statements from financial institutions looking for irregularities or
fraudulent activity.
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There are many services that will
monitor your credit and notify you of unusual or suspicious activity.
There is a fee for these services, but they may save you from headaches
later.
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Be careful when making purchases or
sending information over the Internet. Ensure that the website you are
sending information to is secure and uses up to date encryption methods.
DON’T :
- Give out
personal information in response to unsolicited offers by phone, mail,
Internet or in person.
- DO NOT use
your Social Security number unless you have to. The
Massachusetts Registry of Motor
Vehicles will assign you a random license number in lieu of using your
Social Security number.
- Do not
fill out warranty cards for items you purchased or enter sweepstakes.
Such information is often sold to others as a marketing tool.
- Personal
identifiers, account numbers, and other private information should never
be provided to someone unless you can ensure the information will
be secure. Know the person or company to whom you gave information and
ask what the person or company will do with the information.
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