Social security number

The wide availability and easy access to this very personal information has greatly facilitated Social Security number-related crimes

The high technology society that we are living in is quite awesome. With a few strokes on a key board a person's life can be displayed. Our spending habits, our income and all our personal information is available. This readily available information has many conveniences however there is also the danger that this information can fall into the wrong hands and then your identity can be stolen and your credit and personal finances can be destroyed for years.

Identity theft is a growing problem within the world. Everyone needs to take precautions to insure that it does not happen to them. The main piece of personal information to protect is your social security number. This number is the key that opens most of our private information. With a social security number and a date of birth a person can access your bank records, make withdrawals and apply for loans and credit cards. It is very important not to carry your social security card with you. Memorize your number and store the card in a secure place. We keep ours in a safety deposit box along with other important papers. This helps protect our identity if someone should break into our home.

There are many legitimate businesses and services that need to have your social security number, however you need to be your own best advocate to protect your information. If someone asks you for your social security number on an application inquire about who has access to the information. Also ask how their records and files are stored and how long the records are kept. Most legitimate companies have security systems built into their computer and filing systems; however other smaller companies may not. If the information is not securely stored a computer hacker to have all the information off of your form in a matter of minutes. It is also a good thing to ask why the social security number is needed. If you are ever told that it is optional to include the number, do not include it. The less places you have your social security number listed the safer you are against having your identity stolen.

Parents need to be cautious with the social security numbers of their children as well. A thief can use a child's number with a fake date of birth and make application for credit cards and loans. Any credit card applications or loan offers that are sent to you should be shredded. If someone goes through your mail or garbage and accesses these applications they will already have your name and address and sometimes an activity code to activate a card or loan. We all need to be cautious about protecting ourselves.