{"id":3628,"date":"2018-01-23T01:20:08","date_gmt":"2018-01-23T08:20:08","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/216.172.168.58\/rainier\/?p=3628"},"modified":"2024-11-28T05:57:09","modified_gmt":"2024-11-28T11:57:09","slug":"4-common-causes-of-identity-theft","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/shreddinghouston.com\/4-common-causes-of-identity-theft\/","title":{"rendered":"4 Common Causes of Identity Theft"},"content":{"rendered":"[et_pb_section][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text]\n
Identity theft can often feel more personal than a theft to your home. It can be detrimental to your assets. The theft of your personal information can allow thieves to apply for jobs, credit cards and purchase products in your name without your consent. Knowing how to\u00a0protect your sensitive information<\/a>\u00a0is the first step to protecting yourself from identity thieves. Here are the 4 most common causes of stolen personal information and what residents of Houston can do to avoid it.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n 1. Lost Items<\/strong> 2. Mail Theft<\/strong> 3. Unsecured Waste<\/strong> 4. Imposters<\/strong> The good news is residents of Houston can take precautions to protect their private information from prying eyes. Keeping a close watch on your belongings and\u00a0securely shredding any document\u00a0that contains private, confidential information is the best step towards protecting yourself.<\/p>\n<\/h4>\n
Here are the 4 Typical Causes of Identity Theft<\/h4>\n
\nLosing your wallet or leaving your credit card at a restaurant is the most common type of information theft in Houston, Texas. An unattended credit card has all of the items a thief needs to steal funds from your bank account and tracking down your address and other sensitive information isn\u2019t hard to find from there. Keep a close eye on your personal belongings and always make sure you\u2019ve remembered your credit card before leaving any business establishment to protect yourself from theft.<\/p>\n
\nUnattended mailboxes are another common cause of stolen personal information. Mail from bank or insurance agencies can be stolen and account numbers easily compromised. Get a mailbox with a lock or purchase a P.O. Box to keep your mail safe from criminals.<\/p>\n
\nDumpster diving is still one of an identity thief\u2019s go-to methods for stealing your sensitive information. Leaving unsecured trash including receipts, bank statements or business transactions is an invitation for criminals to peek into your life. It\u2019s important to secure your trash and shred sensitive documents before letting them leave your property. Businesses should consider hiring a secure document shredding company to dispose of private documents safely.<\/p>\n
\nPersons posing as a legitimate business entity or scammers, may also steal your personal information. Never give out credit or banking information via phone or email to unsecured sources. If it seems fishy, it probably is.<\/p>\n