It’s not just the bad economy that can ruin your credit rating. It may take years to recover from identity theft, according to Westchester County’s Department of Consumer Protection.
National “Protect Your Identity Week” is Oct. 17 to 23, and the consumer department is urging people to learn how they can better protect themselves.
For instance, safeguard personal information by not disclosing credit card numbers, pin codes and Social Security numbers unless necessary. Shred financial documents like bank statements, credit card and utility bills when they are no longer needed. Westchester County has a traveling mobile shredder which residents can use to shred unneeded documents. Visit www.westchestergov.com/mobileshredder for the next shredder event.
Gaccione added, “Just remember the word SCAM -- a simple acronym for ways to protect yourself from ID theft.”
SCAM stands for:
S – Be stingy with your personal information. Never give out more information than is needed and don’t respond to unsolicited phone calls and e-mails. Keep your bank and credit cards safe. When banking or shopping using the Internet, be sure the site you are using is secure. Look for https:// in your browser's url address field on the Web page (not just http).
C – Check your financial information regularly. Bank statements and credit card bills should be checked each month for charges you may not have made. Challenge any unusual charges on your statements.
A – Ask for three credit reports a year, one from each of the major credit reporting agencies. They are required to provide a credit report to you free of charge once a year.
M - Maintain careful records. Keep all your bank and sales receipts. Match them up each month with your statements. When shopping on the internet, print out your record of purchases.
Visit the Department of Consumer Protection’s Identity Theft Web page at www.westchestergov.com/identitytheft or call the consumer department at (914)995-2155 for more information on how to protect yourself from ID theft.