Identity Theft

MAKE-IT-SAFE MONDAY

This past holiday season, according to NBC News, an estimated 110 million people who had shopped at Target had their credit card and personal information stolen. Even if you were not one of the people affected by this security breach, it is important to be aware of the potential safety risks in relation to identity theft and credit card fraud. 

The amount of money and time that is lost yearly due to credit card fraud is unacceptable.  According to Ohio University, the cost of credit card theft and fraud is well into the billions of dollars per year.  Because of this it is a good idea to become aware of the safety precautions you can take to help keep your credit card information safe from potential threats. 

Some of the most important steps you can take to protect your information include, but are not limited to: 

• Checking your bank statements and credit history regularly. If you check these on a weekly basis, you are more likely to notice any unauthorized purchases on your account. If you notice anything unusual, report it immediately. It doesn’t take long for someone to charge thousands of dollars to your account. 

• Being careful when shopping online. With the recent increase in online shopping, it is not surprising that there are a lot of people trying to steal your information through this technology. Make sure the website you are entering you personal information and credit card information into is safe and secure. 

• Never leave your wallet unattended. It only takes a moment for someone to look inside your wallet. In that moment they could take a picture of your ID and credit card information with their cellphone without you even knowing that anything was stolen. 

I have highlighted a few important steps you can take to improve your safety; however, there are many more precautions to help protect you from credit fraud and identity theft. I encourage you to research this topic and learn how to better protect yourself. Let’s continue to educate ourselves now, so we can save time and money later. 

Thank you for your time and attention.  Let’s make it safe this Monday.

Christopher Feigal

Demand Generation Specialist, Lift’n Buddy, a Southworth Company