When we don’t protect our property and possessions we are leaving it open for the opportunistic thief or sneak thief to obtain personal information about us. ‘Identity Theft‘ is one area of crime that is on the increase, not only in this country but also in many other countries around the World.

Criminals who want to commit identity theft will go to many lengths, including going through your rubbish in order to get personal information about you, in order to set up false bank accounts and get credit cards in your name.

What can you do to protect yourself from Identity Theft?

• One of the best ways to protect your personal information is to use a cross cut shredder; any document that contains personal information about bank and credit card details should be placed in a shredder and disposed of properly.
• Always make sure all your valuables are out of sight, that goes for your car, home, wallet or handbag – never leave important information in plain view.
• Make sure that all doors and windows are securely locked or even better are protected by window and door alarms.

If your identity is stolen, you might find that you have difficulty getting loans, credit cards or even a mortgage if large debt is run up in your name. Proving that you are an innocent in identity theft can take some time and until the matter is sorted out your credit rating score can plummet.