Identity theft and fraud are now common occurrences in our lives.
In fact, research estimates that 1 in 10 Americans will be a victim of identity theft every year,1 an astounding statistic. The good news is you can help protect yourself — and your loved ones — by taking some precautions.
Protect your Social Security number and other personal info
At times, you may be asked to provide your Social Security number to financial institutions, employers, landlords and government agencies as part of your normal business with them.
If you contact one of these organizations for customer service, they may ask you to verify part of your SSN — usually the last four digits. That is normal — however, legitimate organizations will not contact you and ask for your SSN.
