Identity Theft
By Four Star Private Patrol, Inc.

Identity theft is an insidious problem. People can lose thousands of dollars before it is discovered or spend years trying to correct credit problems that occur because of it. There are several things everyone should do to prevent it.

• Never put whole documents containing personal information, such as social security numbers, phone numbers, birth dates, license numbers, and account numbers in the trash.
  
  
• Shred all documents, bills, statements, containing personal information with a professional shredder….don’t just rip them into a few pieces, for they can be reassembled.
  
  
• Do not use automatic tellers other than at a bank, and be very careful to inspect the machine for anything unusual. Keep your PIN entries well disguised by your body and hands (do this at gas pumps, too).
  
  
• Do not leave credit cards or identity cards on or in your desk, suitcase, car, hotel, or in any place other than on your person or in a safe place at home.
  
  
• Make certain all credit card receipts blank out all but the last digits of your credit card number.
  
  
• Do not give out your credit card number through e-mails, wireless phones, or fax machines. Use secure, encrypted internet sites or landline phones, and only with trusted, known companies.
  
  
• Use up-to-date firewall protection on all personal computers and local area networks connected to the Internet.
  
  
• Use passwords that are hard to break. Avoid birthdates, family names, and the like. Use a combination of letters, numbers, and symbols.
  
  
• Never put your outgoing mail in a residential mailbox for pick-up, take it to an official U.S. Post Office Mail Box, preferably the post office.
  

Four Star Private Patrol, Inc. specializes in providing vehicle and foot patrol security services to residential, commercial, and government clients in Riverside, San Bernardino, and San Diego Counties. fourstar@tstonramp.com