The holidays are a very fun time of the year for you and your family, but how do you think your holidays will go if you happen to have your identity stolen? Probably, not as joyful as you’d like. At LibertyID, we want your focus to be on the good times, so here are a few tips to keep your identity protected during the holiday season.
Ok, let’s be honest, shopping from the comfort of your own home is much better than making the trek into a busy mall, and online shopping will definitely save you some time. Here are a few straightforward tips that will keep your identity more secure this holiday. Shop only from companies that you know and trust. Period. And when shopping online, make sure that the websites that you are shopping from are secure by ensuring that they use an encrypted network. The website is safe when it begins with https rather than just http. Note that special “s” on the end. It means “secure”.
Although a good deal of your shopping will be done online this year, you’ll probably end up going out for a few last-minute things. While you are out, it’s important to always keep an eye on your belongings. With all of the distractions in a busy store, it’s easy to forget to secure your wallet. Pickpockets thrive in a crowd, so limit the amount of personal data that you carry with you in your wallet. This includes not carrying around your Social Security card and your checkbook.
As for those occasions when you purchase something these holidays, always make purchases via credit card rather than debit card. The bottom line is, if a fraudulent charge is made, getting your money back is a less arduous process through the credit card issuing bank than it is when you have used a debit card. And if you need to get cash to include with a holiday card for those who are hard to shop for, always opt for a bank affiliated ATM to make your cash withdrawal. You never know who’s really handling your money or your bank information when you use an ATM, unless it operates under a legitimate bank. Always look for familiar banking institution emblems on the ATM.
The bottom line is that there’s really no better time than the present to become a LibertyID member for identity theft restoration protection. Our extended family plan covers the member, their spouse/partner, the member and spouse’s/partner’s parents and their children. We’re the experts at identity theft restoration, offering a 100% guaranteed identity theft restoration service. But, you have to get covered before there’s an incident. When you sign up for LibertyID, you’re covering yourself and your family from the fallout of identity theft and the potentially hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars lost due to identity theft.