The greatest threat we as consumers face on a daily basis is the liklihood of having our identity stolen. Why worry? All it takes is having your identity stolen once and you will literally have a new part time job for years. So, how does a thief get the info? Easy, one way is that people throw away all sorts of goodies, like, well, financial statements. I recommend a good quality cross cut shredder for use at home. Fellowes makes a good one with different applications.
Another way to get into serious trouble these days is via the old checkbook. Thanks to computers and criminals smarter than ever; all a crook needs is a check, new or used and they can electronically access your account to clean you out. If you actually lose the checkbook and don't review your bank statements monthly, a warrant may be sworn out for your arrest because businesses getting bounced checks think the one bouncing checks all over town is you. If you find your checkbook stolen, file a police report and carry it with you until the matter is cleared up (which may be years) or face going to jail.
Identity theft online is another big one. Beware of fake emails from banks and also notices that you won a lottery in a foreign country you never visited (phishing). Spyware of all forms is the threat of choice for the new millinneum. These programs can spy on you at least and steal your personal infomation at worst. There are good ways to remove this threat. There are different spyware removers. I like the one from Webroot best. If you check the web, there are buy one year, get one free deals available.
There are those that may think you are a little funny for practicing such security practices, but remember, a lifetime of good credit can be destroyed in days through the hands of crooks.
UPDATE: If your personal identity has been compromised, click on the link
below for important info on what to do....
I've been compromised, HELP!
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