https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet How you can stop it before it happens en-us 2017-12-14 12:56:01 UTC 2018-01-10 02:05:34 UTC hello@padlet.com https://d2v9y0dukr6mq2.cloudfront.net/video/thumbnail/uh59Wh0/dollar-sign-icon-cartoon-illustration-hand-drawn-animation-transparent_e1bittjj__F0004.png dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216129094 Unfortunately, yes, it is. Fraud is a huge problem in the U.S., and it affects 25 million people every year. Do you want to be one of those people? Well, then good news, because you CAN protect yourself. What can you do?]]> 2017-12-14 13:04:34 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216129094 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216129956 A large number of frauds occur because people aren't being careful with their private information. To avoid identity theft, or any other type of fraud, the first step would be to watch yourself for a few days. Pay attention to your habits. Remember what you do with mail and other personal information]]> 2017-12-14 13:08:05 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216129956 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216130825 Let's say you're standing at the ATM. You put your PIN in, and you take your money and leave. While you think you were being safe, you were actually standing off to the side a little bit. Now the scammer standing behind you saw your information, and can take your hard earned cash. To avoid this, try not to let anyone see what information you enter. Act like you're taking a test in the 5th grade, and cover up your answers!]]> 2017-12-14 13:11:17 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216130825 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216132119 I hear you asking this question already. Try to keep all of your mail in a safe place, and shred anything that has your personal information on it. Personally, I would burn those scraps. It's unfortunate, and also a little bit pathetic, but some people are willing to sift through your trash to get your information.]]> 2017-12-14 13:15:29 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/216132119 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/218641027 Of course, this day and age, online shopping is a huge convenience that most Americans enjoy. Believe it or not, online shopping has made it even easier to get your information. For instance, you stumble upon a new shopping site, and they have fantastic deals. You buy something with your credit card and enter all of your information. Then, months later, you find that you've been scammed. Whoops! The best thing you can do in this situation is shop with a debit card, as they have more security features that come into play with online shopping.]]> 2018-01-03 20:49:35 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/218641027 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/218647284 Just knowing about the common types of fraud out there can help you protect yourself from it. You can't fight what you don't know, after all.]]> 2018-01-03 21:34:43 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/218647284 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220018312 For some people, a birthday is a very special day. For others, it isn't. Well, I'm here to tell you that your birth-DATE is a very important day, and this applies to everyone. Of course, there are bound to be people who know your birth-date, but it's not something you should go around advertising. If someone were to have your name, birth-date, and your social security number (we'll get into that next), they could apply for a whole lot of stuff in your name.]]> 2018-01-10 01:31:30 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220018312 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220020173 Your Social Security Number is very important. You must guard it with your life. Actually, I'd much rather see you robbed than dead. Anyway, your Social Security Number is printed on a little card, and the best way to avoid letting anyone see it is just to not carry it around with you. The best thing you could do is put in a safe or a locked box, but that's not absolutely necessary.]]> 2018-01-10 01:48:43 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220020173 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220020639 I'd like to take a moment and address your PINs again. The absolute best thing you could do here is to have multiple PINs, and memorize each one of them. This may seem like a difficult task, but it's your life savings we're talking about here. It's a lot like passwords for different websites. You don't wanna use the same passwords over and over again. Another good tip is to choose a random PIN, something that has no connection to you. For example, don't use 3647 if you have dogs, or 2287 if you have cats.]]> 2018-01-10 01:53:06 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220020639 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220021094 We've already discussed the shredding of important documents, but what about documents that you can't shred, like a birth certificate? Well, you can keep those right next to your book of PINs (yeah, I knew you wouldn't do the last tip), in a safe place. This may be a safe or a safety deposit box. I do not recommend placing these documents under your mattress.]]> 2018-01-10 01:57:35 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220021094 dkem3951 https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220021484 Internet safety is a pretty broad term, and I don't want to freak anybody out here. What it involves in this case is being careful of what information you post on the Internet. Let's say you're on a "reputable" shopping site, and for some reason, it asks for your age, date of birth, and even your Social Security Number. What should you do? LEAVE THE SITE. DO NOT ENTER YOU PERSONAL INFORMATION.]]> 2018-01-10 02:02:16 UTC https://padlet.com/dkem3951/fraud_protection_padlet/wish/220021484