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Protect Your Identity After A Breakup

Protect Your Identity After A Breakup

No one enters a relationship with the idea that it isn’t going to work out. Unfortunately, many relationships end up failing at some point. Oftentimes, one or both parties will be angry and/or vengeful in the aftermath of the split. According to a McAfee study in 2013, 1 in 8 relationships that ended poorly had one of the ex-lovers leak the other’s information online. Even if you’re in a great relationship right now, learn how to protect your identity after a breakup. Splitting with a partner is difficult enough. Adding in the stress of identity theft can be truly devastating.

Change Your Passwords Immediately

People are often very open about sharing their personal information with their partner when in a relationship. It’s possible that you are trying to be open and honest while not hiding anything from your significant other. The fact of the matter is that there is some information that only you should know. Bank account, social media and email passwords are the key to unlocking a vast amount of personal information. If you and your partner break up, and they know your passwords, change them immediately.

Put A Freeze On Your Credit

If your significant other knows your passwords, it’s also possible that they know your social security number. We advise you to contact each of the three major credit bureaus and set credit freezes on your file. This will prevent anyone other than yourself from opening a line of credit under your name.

  • Equifax: 1-800-685-1111
  • Experian: 1-888-397-3742
  • TransUnion: 1-800-916-8800

Sign Up For Identity Theft Restoration

Unfortunately, there is no way to 100% prevent identity theft. This is why we recommend signing up for an identity theft restoration service such as ReclaimMyID. Should your identity be stolen, they will do all of the legwork required to fully restore your identity. This can save you hundreds of hours and a massive amount of stress. Pair this with self-monitoring and the tips above and you will be as protected as you can be.

Learn More About ReclaimMyID HERE.

Breaking up is hard to do, even when it’s a cordial one. Learn to protect your identity after a breakup and protect your information.

 

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Teach Your Kids About Download Safety

Teach Your Kids About Download Safety

As technology becomes more interwoven within our society, younger and younger children have access to apps and the internet. While many apps and websites are perfectly acceptable for kids, there are those who would look to take advantage of their vulnerability. There are plenty of cases of apps in the Google Play or Apple App Store where games targeted toward children will be infected with malware. In order to protect your family, you should take the time to teach your kids about download safety.

Teach

The first step in staying safe when using technology is knowledge. The only way to know what is safe to download is to become aware of things that are potentially dangerous. Free applications, website popups, social media advertisements and e-mail attachments are all prime real estate for potential threats. Teach your children never to download or click on a popup or attachment without asking for your permission first.

Keep Watch

One of the easiest ways to keep children from straying outside of their boundaries is to supervise them when using technology. It is advised that you keep computers in a public area. This will allow a parent or supervisor to be close by should they have any questions.

Restrict

Children are curious and trusting. It is important to set up parental controls to prevent them from visiting unapproved websites. Installing a firewall, security software and anti-malware software will boost your internet security and alert of any incoming threats. Install a popup blocker to reduce potential risks. As a parent, you can set up a different account for each child and one for yourself. This will allow you to fine tune restrictions for each person, depending on their age and the amount of access you wish to give them.

Discuss

You should periodically speak with your children about their internet activity. Sit down and go through their browser history and talk about the places they’ve been visiting. Also, take this time to inform your family of new potential threats or schemes you’ve heard about. Being open and honest about internet use will help keep everyone safe.

The internet isn’t going anywhere and the habits you teach your children now will carry with them throughout their lives. Teach your kids about download safety and you will reduce the chances of becoming a victim now and in the future.

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Last Minute Tips To Avoid Tax Identity Theft

Last Minute Tips To Avoid Tax Identity Theft

April 15th is right around the corner. Also known as “Tax Day”, this is the last day you can file your tax return for the previous year. With the deadline looming, it can be easy to become lax in securing your information. Your information is valuable and there are criminals who are looking for it. Use these last minute tips to avoid tax identity theft.

File Your Tax Return ASAP

This tip may seem obvious, but get your tax return filed right away. You still want to make sure your taxes are done properly, so don’t rush. However, the longer you wait the more time someone has to file a fraudulent return under your identification. Criminals know that this is their last chance to obtain fraudulent tax returns until next year. They are making a push to obtain as much personal information as possible before the 15th. Go ahead and file your return so you can rest easy.

Shred Important Documents

One of the easiest ways for a criminal to obtain your information is by finding it on a piece of paper. Tax documents, bank statements, receipts can all be used to locate even more personal information. Shred any and all documents with valuable information to avoid it falling into the wrong hands. Another option is to keep sensitive documents under lock and key. Whichever option you choose, be diligent in protecting your information.

Get A Locking Mailbox

The last tip goes hand-in-hand with the first two tips. Criminals are on the prowl for information and you need to protect it. What do you do to prevent your important documents from being stolen before you ever see them? Outfit your home with a locking mailbox. A mailbox that can have mail inserted, but not retrieved without a key will keep prying eyes off of your personal information.

Tax time is stressful. Try using these last minute tips to avoid tax identity theft and reduce some of that stress. Once your return is filed, you’ll have an entire year until you have to do it again. Well, not an entire year. Hopefully, next year you will file as early as possible!