*The post Identity Theft Protection was written by me on behalf of LifeLock #BreachWatch. While compensation was provided by LifeLock via Find Your Influence, all opinions are 100% my own.
In light of the recent Home Depot payment data breech, I’ve started thinking about identity theft protection.
My husband and I have been in our home for over ten years now, and in that time we’ve done quite a bit of home improvement, purchasing most of our supplies from Home Depot {using our Home Depot credit card}. We’ve gutted our kitchen and installed new cabinets and counter tops, put new flooring in most of the house, have done tons of painting, and even removed the popcorn from most of the ceilings.
What if someone had gotten a hold of our personal information? The thought unnerves me. Now, I realize that we would never be liable for fraudulent purchases, even if someone gained access to our bank accounts, but that’s little piece of mind. There are so many other ways identity thieves can take advantage of you.
No one really believes identity theft can happen to them, but, honestly, if a company as large as Home Depot can be ‘hacked’, what does that say about other companies, like my bank?
I’ve recently taken steps to help protect my family. Here are some identity theft protection tips you can use, too:
- When using your debit card, turn the keypad facing away from others in line behind you. Identity thieves look like your ‘average Joe’, so you can’t be too careful
- Check your bank account and credit card statements monthly to make sure there are no unauthorized charges. The best way to do this is to save your receipts and compare them to statement transactions
- Report unauthorized transactions immediately. Your card issuer will not hold you liable and will issue you a new card. The number to call will be on the back of your card
- If you’ve lost your debit card, don’t wait for your statement to come in the mail. Call your bank and request a new card right away. The sooner your old card is cancelled, the less chance an identity thief has to drain your account
- If you’re a Home Depot card holder, follow the story. Investigation is still underway.
- Consider using an identity protection service. LifeLock is a great choice, they have products that you can count on. LifeLock Advantage™ and LifeLock Ultimate Plus™ help protect against debit and credit card theft as well as balance transfers.
Here’s a breakdown of the identity theft protection that LifeLock provides:
- Detect – LifeLock scans data points everyday to look for anyone using your personal information for making credit card purchases, taking out car loans and mortgages. It even checks for attempts to drain bank and investment accounts, including retirement accounts
- ALERT – LifeLock will send you an alert via text, phone or email as soon as a threat is detected, minimizing fraud. Simply respond to the alert letting them know whether or not your were the one who made the transaction
- RESTORE – with US resolution experts available 24/7 to help stop fraud, you can count on LifeLock to be there when you need them. And, with their $1 million service guarantee, LifeLock will hire the accountants, lawyers and investigators necessary to help you take back what’s yours
I’m so excited about LifeLock, that I’ve got a special discount code for all my readers. Simply go the the LifeLock sign up page and enter the code BreachWatch.
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