There is a dizzying number of online scams designed to trick people into giving up their personal information. So even if you were taught to always shred your mail before you throw it away, you may have gotten a little lazy in the last few years. After all, the internet is where all the scams take place these days, right?
Not exactly, say security experts.
“There are plenty of reasons to shred your mail, and there’s no good reason not to,” says Julie Ryan Evans, consumer editor at securitynerd.com.
We’ve become more aware of cyberattacks and email phishing, but “physical mail still contains a lot of identifying information that can help thieves steal your identity, commit tax fraud and other crimes,” he says. . “It happens everywhere: in cities, suburbs and rural communities. Wherever you live, you should be aware that the possibility exists and take precautions to avoid it.”
here are some things to keep in mind.
Wondering if your email has been compromised in a data breach? find out with money’s new data breach tool!
what are the risks of not destroying my mail?
Identifying thieves still scavenges unsuspecting home and apartment dwellers, experts say.
The information they seek “generally includes date of birth, social security number, full name, mortgage or rent payments, payment information such as credit card numbers and passwords and usernames,” says mason miranda, a credit industry credit card specialist. she warns that thieves can use the information they get from these documents to open a credit card in your name. this can ruin your credit rating, among other headaches.
what absolutely needs to be shredded?
“Pretty much everything,” says evans of securitynerd.com. “There are the big ones, like bank statements and tax returns…but even spam can tell criminals more about you than you want them to know.”
Preauthorized credit cards and “limited time offers” from organizations like AARP often come with barcodes that contain identifying information like your address or, in some cases, account numbers, Evans explains. (For less spam, visit the Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) webpage on “Stop Unsolicited Mail, Phone Calls, and Email.”)
if it came in an envelope, or anything with an address label, “make sure you shred that too,” she says. “And no, just ripping her mail with your hands multiple times is not effective,” adds Ella Evans. “shred your mail and you’ll destroy your chances of being a theft victim.”
I have a lot of documents in my house and I need to organize them. Is there anything I shouldn’t shred?
You can shred all utility bills and credit cards after you’ve paid them, but the FTC recommends keeping pay stubs, medical bills, and bank statements for a year before destroying them. And always keep all your tax records, just to be safe.
Here’s another tip from Evans: Always tear up your prescription labels before throwing the bottle in the recycling bin, as they contain information like your name, doctor’s name, and prescription number.
“Thieves can potentially use the information to fill your prescriptions for themselves,” he says, “or as part of their efforts to steal your identity.”
If I accidentally receive someone else’s mail, should I shred it too?
“You should never tear up or shred someone else’s mail, even if you think it’s junk,” Evans says. “just write ‘return to sender’ or ‘not at this address’ and paste it back into your mailbox.”
While we’re on the subject of other people’s mail, it’s important to keep an eye on what’s being sent to your kids, Evans says, as thieves can use school forms and other documents to steal your identity.
I haven’t been as diligent in shredding as I should have been. what should i do?
You can use a free credit card monitoring service like Experian or a paid identity theft detection service like Identityforce to make sure no one has ever taken out a credit card in your name or, worse yet, been arrested. while using his identity.
if you find something is wrong, contact the police, freeze your credit cards so no one can open a new account in your name, place a fraud alert on your existing credit cards and file a report with the ftc .
p>
what if I think someone has been checking my email?
Although fraud is illegal, the act of checking trash does not inherently break any laws if it is left curbside. “But if they are trespassing on your property, for example, going to your backyard to get to it, then they may be subject to trespassing laws and you can call your local authorities,” Evans says. “To prevent people from doing it, take out the garbage as close to the time it is collected as possible.”
A great way to make it harder for thieves is to request digital bills and bank statements instead of paper copies, says Evans. Also, consider using outdoor security cameras to keep an eye on your trash cans, or invest in a locked mailbox.
more money:
the hidden costs of buying fake cosmetics on sites like amazon
how to stop spam calls and texts for good
the best protection against identity theft right now