Identity Theft Risk Factors: Planning a Move
Moving from one home to another is often stressful because you’re dealing with so many things at the same time. So, you might be less attentive to things that you normally would be very diligent about. For instance, you might not lock a filing cabinet or shred your important documents. Unfortunately, when you have strangers packing up your belongings, leaving this kind of information unprotected can be disastrous.
| Always… |
Because… |
| Shred your old bills, receipts and financial statements before you throw them away. |
Identity thieves will go through empty houses looking for any information you leave behind. |
| Fill out a change of address form at the post office (www.usps.com) before you move. |
If your un-forwarded mail continues to go to your old residence, it might be left on the doorstep or in an unlocked mailbox, making it very easy for anyone to walk away with. |
| Erase financial programs and stored information from your computer’s hard drive before you donate it or throw it away. |
Identity thieves can break into computers and gather any information that’s not properly erased from them. |
