Organizing Your Home Office:
Avoiding Identity Fraud

The thought of having your wallet or billfold stolen along with your personal checks and credit cards may send chills up and down your spine. If someone steals your credit card numbers, your health card (which includes your social security number as part of your group number), and drivers license which includes your address, you are at risk for identity fraud.  If you ask anyone who has suffered through this quick, often seamless crime, how long it took for him or her to reestablish their credit, don't be surprised to learn that it took over a year. Some victims of identity fraud still face aftershocks of rejected credit card transactions and delayed loans due to a mixup in credit records, years after the initial theft. You don't have to be organized to avoid losing your identity, but it helps. Here are a few ways to protect valuable information:

• Shred all documents that contain credit card numbers, your social security number and any other numbers that could be used to open new accounts. Keep your shredder handy around tax time to destroy tax worksheets and other tax-related information you don't need. A cross-cut shredder (the pieces resemble confetti) is the ideal way to shred. It's harder for a thief to reassemble the pieces than with a straight-cut shredder.

• NEVER share your bank account numbers with anyone whom you don't know, especially over the phone. Your bank shouldn't call you to ask you for your account numbers. It's their job to know them.

• In your wallet, carry only those items that you need often. If you don't know your social security number by now, memorize it and keep your card at home or in a safe deposit box. The same goes for your PIN number. It's amazing to learn how many people keep a sticky note on their ATM card to help them remember their PIN number.

• IMMEDIATELY convert your credit cards from standard cards to photo cards. Your credit card company should be able to provide an application with directions for adding your photo to your cards. A card with a photo is less appealing to a thief who plans to use the card.