Looking to buy or sell a home in South LA County or North Orange County? Click here to perform a full home search, or if you're thinking of selling your home, click here for a FREE Home Price Evaluation so you know what buyers will pay for your home in today's market. You may also call us at (562) 316-2915 for a FREE home buying or selling
Identity theft is the number one crime in the world right now, and we've discovered that 25% of all identity theft is happening here in LA County. Many people don't realize their identity has been stolen until they go to buy a home. So today, I'm going to talk about a couple of things you can do to prevent identity theft.
First of all, be in the habit of checking your credit report at least once every six months. Put a reminder in your calendar so you can keep track of it. You can also hire a service to track your credit report on a regular basis. That way, if something does change, you will be alerted immediately and you can take action.
Also, check your bank statements regularly. You can see if any fraudulent charges have been made and cancel your credit cards if needed.
Be aware of phishing emails or phone calls. These often seem too good to be true, and impersonate other banks. If you don't trust the source of the email, do not click any links. Instead, type the official website of the bank into the web browser. Also, never give your credit card or Social Security numbers out over the phone unless you trust that source 100%.
Finally, shred everything. Thieves can steal your information from barcodes or a receipt in the recycling bin. If there is a problem, contact your bank immediately.
If you have any questions, give me a call or send me an email. I look forward to hearing from you.
