Follow these tips to protect your credit and identity during this holiday season:
- Don’t share your private information online or over the phone. Private information includes your Social Security number, account information, PINs and passwords.
- Shred sensitive papers such as bank statements, unused credit card offers, and receipts before throwing them away.
- Keep an eye out for missing mail. Criminals look for monthly bank or credit card statements or other mail containing your financial information.
- Consider enrolling in online banking to reduce the likelihood of paper statements being stolen.
- Monitor your financial accounts regularly for fraudulent transactions. Sign up for text or email alerts from your bank for certain types of transactions, such as online purchases or transactions of more than $500.
- Order a free copy of your credit report every four months from one of the three credit reporting agencies – Experian, Transunion and Equifax.
