Identity Theft and Credit Fraud Prevention
There were 1,157,317 Cases of Identity Theft and 503,450 Cases of Credit Card Fraud Reported to the Federal Trade Commission in the First Three Quarters of 2025. This Exceeded All of the Cases in the Full Year of 2024. The Number of Victims of Identity Theft and Credit Fraud Has Been Consistently Growing Each Year.
Here Are Some Preventative Measures for Keeping Your Personal Information Secure and Preventing Identity Theft or Credit Fraud from Happening to You.
Identity Theft & Credit Fraud Prevention Tips
Social Media & Dating Websites
In most cases, social media is a great tool to connect with old friends, relatives or even meet a new mate. But be forewarned. Identity thieves use social media as a resource for new identity theft victims. You should also never post when you are going on vacation, where you are going or how long. You really don’t know who else is watching your profile.
Update your security settings frequently. Know who your contacts are. Don’t just "friend" people you don’t know. If you think for a single moment it’s too much information to post, simply don’t do it. Use your common sense. Be wise.
Outgoing / Incoming Mail
Mail your outgoing mail at the U.S. Post Office. Don't hang mail out of your residence mailbox. Credit card statements, utility bills, student loan payments (Social Security Number as account number), contain valuable information for identity thieves. Clear incoming mail from your mailbox daily. Call (888) 5OPTOUT / 888-567-8688 to stop receiving pre-approved credit offers.
Over the Telephone
Never give your Social Security Number or Personal Identification Information to anyone over the telephone unless you initiated the contact. Legitimate companies or telemarketing representatives that may contact you are well aware that identity theft is the fastest growing white-collar crime.
Online Transactions / E-mail
Refrain from transmitting your Social Security Number via the Internet. There is no need for any online transaction to require more than your credit card number, expiration date, full name and your current address. Only purchase online from E-Commerce sites that use a secure server for credit and debit card transactions. Look for a Secure Site Seal on the homepage. Also keep in mind that e-mail could be viewed by hackers. Exercise good judgment when composing all email messages. Limit the personal information to be transmitted.
Online Resume Posting
Posting an overly revealing resume online can be risky. Online resumes should contain personal objectives, contact information, chronological work history and educational background. The main problem with HTML and Flash Presentation resumes are they sometimes include too much information (TMI) that employers do not need. Some of this being; date of birth, social security number, marital status, drivers / operators license information, ethnic background, height, and weight. Some resumes also include photographs.
Too much personal information included in an online resume could be used to commit identity theft. Identity thieves could possibly mask themselves as employers online. They may scan thousands of resumes until they hit "pay dirt". Once they find a resume with too much "identifying" information they can use it to commit credit fraud and identity theft. It costs an average of three hundred dollars or less to post a "ghost" job with online job posting services. That is a minimal amount to an identity thief that may scan thousands of resumes for potential victims. Odds are, the posting fee would have been paid online with a credit card obtained illegally.
Old Documents / Tax Forms / Credit Card Statements / Pre-Approved Credit Offers
Buy a personal paper shredder and use it. Usually these types of documents contain sensitive data, personal information and account numbers. Although you may consider some of it outdated trash, identity thieves consider it to be a potential gold mine.