How to Keep Yourself Safe from Identity Theft

You hear about it all the time. People’s lives being turned upside down because of identity theft.  Heck, you might have even been a victim yourself.  But the bottom line is, we have to put a stop to this!

I recently attended an event in Arizona where I met with the folks at LifeLock. If you’ve never heard of LifeLock (where have you been hiding — just kidding), it’s a company that is dedicated to providing identity theft protection.

While I was in Arizona, I learned so much about how we make ourselves vulnerable to identity theft and just how easy it is for someone to steal your identity.  I don’t want to go through the heartache and struggles of identity theft (who does) and now I can have someone on my side watching out for me.

I want to share some tips from LifeLock on how to protect yourself AND your family from identity theft.

• Shred and Destroy: You’d be surprised the lengths people go through to get a hold of your personal information. Dumpster diving anyone? Invest in a cross-cut shredder and shred all papers that contain your personal information.
• Keep Quiet: Don’t share your information unless absolutely necessary.  Most doctors offices and dentists offices don’t “need” your social security number anymore for claims, so you shouldn’t need to disclose it.  Always ask why it’s needed and disclose at your discretion.
• Stay Alert: You’d be surprised just how high-tech identity thieves are. They are constantly busy coming up with inventive ways to get a hold of your personal information, including skimming your credit card during check out without you even knowing, quietly snapping a picture of your account by looking over your shoulder unnoticed, and phishing for your identity via email, websites, texting, or phone calls. Always keep an eye on your credit report and report any unusual activity.
• Shop Carefully: If you’re like me, you shop online more than in a brick and mortar store.  I love the convenience of being able to shop in my jammies and stay inside.  When shopping online, make sure you are shopping on a secure site by looking for a security seal and the https (not http) in the URL when it comes time to enter any personal information.
• Strengthen Security: From mailbox to internet, make sure proper security is in place.  If you have an unlocked mailbox, replace it for one that features a lock and key.  When traveling, it’s best to place a hold on your mail. Change online passwords often and use a combination of numbers, upper and lower case letters and symbols to make sure your passwords are secure.
• Protect the Whole Family: Last but certainly not least, the whole family is susceptible to identity theft and therefore all members of the family need protection.  Lock up all government related ID’s and never carry them with you when not in use.

In this day and age, you need more than just a credit monitoring service. LifeLock is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year using a combination of data surveillance techniques and outstanding member service to make sure that you’re covered.

I’m sure you’re thinking all this would come at a pretty hefty price tag.  I though the same thing.  I was extremely relieved to find out that LifeLock isn’t really all that expensive.  In fact, I’m sure many of you spend more at Starbucks each month.

LifeLock offers two options, the basic protection is available for $10 a month or $110 a year and the ultimate protection is available for $15 a month or $165 a year!  I’m not sure about you, but I spend more than that on coffee each year.

The amazing folks over at LifeLock have provided me with an exclusive discount code available for Simply Being Mommy readers!  To get 10% off your LifeLock memberships, use code SimplyBeingMommy at checkout.

I visited the LifeLock Corporate offices to meet with the executives to learn more about the company. They provided all accommodations.