ReclaimMyID

New year, new threats to your identity. The old ones haven’t gone anywhere either. With each passing year, protecting your personal and financial information becomes more important. Many of us set goals to better ourselves at the beginning of a year. Well, it’s important to set new year’s resolutions to protect your identity also. Here are a few tips to keep you safe in 2018.

Keep An Eye On Your Credit

Did you know that you are entitled to one free copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies per year? That’s three separate reports. You can request a report from all three at once. However, if you spread them out, you can keep an eye on your credit throughout the year. Set a calendar reminder in your phone or e-mail for the first, second and third trimesters of the year. For example, one in February, one in July and one in November. You will be able to see how your credit score changes throughout the year as well as see if any fraudulent activity is listed.

Say No To Debit Cards

Many people use debit cards because they are easy. The money is taken directly from your bank account. There is no risk of spending above your means like there is with a credit card. However, the fact of the matter is that you don’t have the same protections with a debit card that you do with a credit card. If your credit card information is stolen, a fraudulent charge can be removed by your credit card company, no matter the amount. If a fraudulent charge is placed on your debit card, oftentimes you only have protection up to $50. As you can imagine, this can leave you out of a lot of money. So, ditch the debit card or at least use it with the credit function.

There’s no better time than now to add some new security measures to your repertoire. Follow these new year’s resolutions to protect your identity and you’ll be closer to doing just that.