Many Americans are concerned about someone stealing their credit card, check, or debit card numbers, but they may be ignoring one easy way thieves can access financial accounts: receipts.
Disregarding receipts that have valuable information greatly increases the risk of credit and debit card fraud. Thieves can easily find receipts with valid account numbers in trash cans. Luckily, there are some easy steps you can take to prevent thieves from stealing your financial information:
Shred It
Shred all preapproved credit offers, credit and debit card receipts, insurance forms, financial statements, and other paperwork containing personal and financial information. If you’re not sure, just shred it anyway. It’s always better to be safe than sorry.
Check Your Statement
Check your statements from your credit union and other financial statements every month. Look for discrepancies so you can stop fraud before too much damage is done. It’s also a good idea to order a credit report once a year to make sure no one else is using your personal information to obtain credit cards or services.
Protect Your Social Security Number
Never print your Social Security number on your checks and don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet. In addition, always be hesitant about giving personal or financial information over the telephone, especially if they initiated the call. Your personal information is valuable, and it should be protected at all times.
