As locksmiths of A1 Lock and Safe serving Chapel Hill, NC and surrounding areas know, the real horror this spooky time of year is identity theft. Customers only come to us for help in installing safes to seal their most important documents after they start the process repairing the damages caused. Identify theft remains a leading problem these days. According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics,

“an estimated 17.6 million persons, or about 7 percent of U.S. residents age 16 or older, were victims of at least one incident of identity theft in 2014”.

Although technology is changing, there is still plenty of theft. With that in mind, here are 3 tips to defeat the horrors of identity theft before it strikes.

1. Keep Your I.D. Numbers Protected

The key to preventing identity theft is from thieves from seeing your information. That means you need to protect your social security number. That especially means that you shouldn’t respond to people who request your personal information. If they want too much personal information, back away. In addition, watch your back when typing passwords on computers and ATMs. By doing those simple things, you can keep your identity safe.

2. Shred, Shred, Shred

Having a paper trail is an easy way to get your identity stolen. You need collect mail right away and shred receipts, credit offers, account statements, and expired cards. If you don’t need it, shred it so that no one else can get your information.

3. Keep Track of Your Statements

Early identification is the key to making sure you stop identity theft before it gets out of hand. Of course, ideally by using our Durham locksmiths to lock important documents away, that wouldn’t happen, but in today’s world— breaches are possible. Online payments can get hacked, so keeping an eye on your statements can be the key to help. If you see any strange behavior, you can report the problem.

Need More Locksmith Help in Chapel Hill, NC?

As locksmiths serving Chapel Hill, NC, we know how essential it is that you do what you can do to protect your business and your family. You can do so with our safes sales and commercial and residential services. Let us help you protect not only your identity but your most valuable possessions. If you’re ready to get started, contact us and we’ll see what we can do.