Hey, you’re cool and all, so why wouldn’t someone want to be you? Well, sorry to burst your bubble, but the bad guys out there don’t want your coolness, they want your identity. With MoneyStrong, you have the support you need to keep you from making risky choices.
You may be the victim of identity theft if:
- You receive a credit card you did not request or a statement of an account you do not have.
- You don’t receive an account statement, possibly signaling that a change of address has occurred.
- Unauthorized charges appear on your credit-card and credit union statements.
- Debt collectors contact you regarding goods, services or credit that you didn’t purchase or initiate.
If something smells fishy, let us know immediately. Come on in to a convenient branch, call 978-452-5001 (toll-free 877-604-5328) or go to www.JDCU.com. We’ll help you figure it all out.
Be On the Defensive
Like putting a titanium lock on your bike or password-protecting your phone, you can guard against the risk of identity theft. Here are a few things that will make it harder for thieves to steal from you:
- Don’t use your Social Security Number as a form of identification.
- Keep your Social Security card at home and don’t print the number on your checks.
- Limit the number of IDs in your wallet.
- Shred any unsolicited credit-card applications.
- Use secure passwords. For example, don’t simply make “moneystrong” your password, utilize letters, numbers and symbols to create “M0n3y$troN9″ instead.
- Limit online purchases to secure websites protected with an encryption system. Look for https: or padlock.
- Keep personal information in a safe place in your home.
- Never respond to a text message, email message or phone message that requests personal information.
A Final Note About Credit and Your Credit Report.
It may not take seven years for the gum you swallowed to digest, but it takes that long before negative information is removed from your credit report, and up to 10 years in the case of bankruptcy.
So take the time to get MoneyStrong, create your spending plan, stick to it, use your credit wisely and monitor your credit reports at least annually. If you ever have questions about any of this, please contact us. As a not-for-profit financial cooperative, Jeanne D’Arc Credit Union truly is committed to helping you Be Free. Be Strong. Be MoneyStrong.
