Monitor social media regularly.

Check your privacy settings regularly to limit public access to your life’s details. Do not allow people you do not know to follow you on social media, it is smart to periodically review followers and remove people you do not know. Keep things like birth date off the public view and only share with friends. 

Use a Virtual Wallet

Setup a virtual wallet for online purchases. These can help you keep your credit card information safe, and also make your life easier by not having to enter the info with every purchase. Our personal favorite is PayPal, but there are many options available for consumers. 

Protect Your Information

Use unique and hart to guess passwords. Avoid birthdays, phone numbers and other easy to guess combinations. Do not trust public Wi-Fi networks. Avoid accessing secure websites on public networks. If you find yourself entering a password, make sure you are on a trusted network. 

Be Cautions

Be vigilant with email and phone calls. Make sure you can see the sender’s email address, not just their name. If you are not sure about who sent the email. Do not click the links. Watch out for convincing imitations of banks, card companies, charities and government agencies. Use legitimate sources of contact information to verify requests for information, such as the financial institution’s official website or phone number listed on statements.

Take precautions now to avoid tax related identity theft. If you suspect that you’ve received a scam letter, phone call, or email, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration at 800-366-4484.