BROOKLINE MOVING COMPANY BLOG

Moving? 3 Things You Should Double-Check to Protect Your Identity

Posted by Patrick Lundgren on Thu, Oct 03, 2013 @ 12:41 PM

Whether moving across town or to the other side of the world, it's time to put on your detective hat. Along with carefully packing the heritage china, returning the keys to the landlord and renting the U-Haul, you have to think like a criminal and be as diligent as Sherlock Holmes. Why?

In 2012, 12.6 million people had their identity stolen, reports the Federal Trade Commission. Don't become a victim who is targeted because you are moving.

Destroy Your RX Labels

Identify thieves are crafty and wise. They look for opportunities to steal your identity in sneaky places that many people would not consider a security threat. For example, did you know medical ID theft can start with a discarded prescription bottle? A scam artist could phone in a refill and ask to confirm personal data on file while picking up the refill. If the pharmacy tech fails to ask for ID, the thief will have your address, phone number and other personal information.

The Identity Theft Resource Center says it is very difficult to get your health records corrected if thieves are able to get new prescriptions in your name, primarily due to the HIPAA laws intended to protect you. To safeguard yourself, remove the labels, and destroy them before discarding empty bottles. Contact your pharmacy with a change of address immediately before you move. Send a change of address notification to your medical providers.

identity-theft

The Risks Keep Rising

Twelve million pieces of personal information on the Internet were susceptible to theft in the first quarter of 2012, according to Experian. The majority of ID theft facts and articles suggest the problem continues to grow, even with stronger legislation and computer virus/hacker protection.

Don't leave personal information in your vehicle. Most people put the rental agreement and contract for the moving van in the glove compartment during their move. Identity thieves know this. If you provided a credit card, drivers license and personal contact information to the rental company, that information is likely available on your printed documents. Keep all personal information and documents in a safe place during the move. If you do not already own one, buy a small lock box to secure your documents.

Don't Leave a Digital Trail

If you have old cell phones, computers or laptops, remove the hard drives and SIM cards. Even non-working devices offer a treasure trove of information for talented hackers and ID crooks. To protect yourself, use a recycling service such as RecycleHDD. The company says if they cannot wipe the information securely, they will shred the hard drive to protect your data.

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