Marion Police Ask Residents to Protect Against ID Theft

The Marion City Police Department is urging area residents to take precautions to protect their financial and personal information from theft. Police Lt. Jon Shaffer said a number of people are reporting that their credit cards have been used online, their identities have been used to open accounts, or their checks have been stolen and forged.

Lt. Shaffer offered the following tips that residents can take to protect themselves.

• Personal information includes identifying information like birth dates and Social Security numbers.  Financial information includes credit and debit card numbers as well as checking and savings account numbers.
• Don’t leave personal or financial information in a vehicle, even if it’s locked.  This includes vehicle titles, birth certificates, social security cards, credit cards, checks, etc.
• Secure important documents in a safe place.  Don’t carry around items that are not used on a daily basis, like social security cards, in a purse or wallet.
• Limit access to your information. Even in your home this information should be kept in a private place, not easily assessable by guests.
• Use a paper shredder.  Anything that has any personal information, everything from old bank statements to credit card offers you get in the mail to mailing labels from magazines, should be shredded or torn into small pieces.
• Use strong passwords and pin numbers. Avoid using birth or anniversary dates, names of children or pets, or other obvious choices. Use a combination of letters, numbers and characters. Be careful who you share passwords and pin numbers with.
• Safe guard your computer with anti-virus and anti-spyware software, as well as a firewall. Update them regularly.
• With smart phones containing more and more information, put a pass code lock on the phone. Also put passwords on all financial accounts and make sure to log out. Some phones have the ability to delete information remotely should it be lost or stolen. Learn how to do this.
• Review your accounts, including bank and credit card statements, as well as credit reports, frequently. Any unauthorized activity should be reported to the financial institution immediately.
• If you receive a phone call or email that seems too good to be true, it probably is.  Be very careful about giving your personal information out over the phone or through email, especially if you did not initiate the contact.

“We’re hoping that these tips will give residents the tools to help protect themselves from becoming victims of forgery and fraud,” Shaffer said.

If you believe you have been the victim of a crime, call the Marion Police Department at 387-2525.