Living abroad and getting deployed are obstacles many civilians don’t have to face, but identity theft is a crime everyone should be on the lookout for. Unfortunately, while serving your country, it can be tough to closely monitor your identity.
Identity theft can be a frustrating experience, and if not dealt with swiftly, it can quickly become nightmare. Luckily, many things can be done to prevent identity theft from ruining your good name.
Staying safe on the Internet
One of the easiest ways to have your identity stolen is on the Internet. People are always completing purchases and accessing online banking information. These are not bad things, of course. However, many people put themselves at risk with their browsing habits. Having everything as secure as possible is important and easy if you take certain precautions.
- Only make purchases on reputable websites with verified security certificates.
Make sure your password is strong enough that it lessens the chance of it being hacked. This includes having lowercase and uppercase letters, as well as numbers.
- Do not use the same password twice.
- Change your passwords regularly.
Even if you do this, there is a chance that you can still have your identity stolen, but taking the time to cover your tracks will make you feel much more secure when doing business online.
What to do if you lose important identification
While you can have your identity stolen on the Internet, this crime has been around much longer in day-to-day life. This is why it is necessary to look for ways to prevent yourself from getting your identity stolen on a daily basis.
- Leave your Social Security card at home, unless you need to bring it to a specific destination.
- Don’t carry multiple credit cards at one time.
- Make sure your wallet, purse or bag is with you at all times.
- Do not give out any financial information to anyone, unless you are purchasing something from a store.
Identity theft can wreak havoc on your good name, and can be costly as well as time consuming to resolve. If this happens to you, there are ways to settle your financial trouble. Asking Omni Financial for advice could make the process easier.
