Taking a Trip? Tips to protect Your Credit.

Before you travel, follow these tips to protect yourself from identity thieves.

1. Let your credit card company know when you’re traveling (especially if leaving the country). Fraud departments have become more vigilant about monitoring unusual activity.
2. If you get a call or email about suspicious activity on your card, don’t give out personal information or call the number on the message (an oft-used trick by identity thieves). Instead, call the customer service number on the back of your card.
3. Suspend your mail delivery until you return. Your mail can be a treasure chest of information for identity thieves.
4. Remove credit cards you won’t be using and other personal information from your wallet, and copy any important documents (driver’s licenses, passport, health insurance card, etc.) so you’ll have them in case your wallet is stolen.

-Kiplinger’s, June 2011




Money-Saving Tools for Travelers

* The content of this blog is for informative purposes only. It does not reflect official standing of any agent, agency, or company mentioned on the blog. Nor is this blog necessarilly an endorsement. Please consult with your insurance, tax, or legal specialist before making any decisions. This blog is purely meant to spark the thought process.

Securing Your Cell Phone From Identity Theft

I teach the California State Life Insurance Agent Pre-Licensing class.  The state tracks people by their Social Security Numbers.  I'm always surprised by the number of people (usually younger) who store their SS# on their cell phone.  When I have them fill out the registration forms, they flip open their phones to get their sensitive info.

Am I missing something here?  

When I saw this article, thought I'd pass it along.  Seems like cell phones, security, and identity theft prevention will be more and more something for us to be mindfull of...

6 Legal Tips to Secure Your Smartphone
Re-print from LegalShield


The number of Americans using smartphones is rising dramatically. As smartphone speed and technology improve, individuals are using their phone to access personal information. Many users now access and manage business and personal email as well as banking and other financial data from their phone. This can make a hacked or stolen phone a one-stop shop for would-be thieves and scammers. These tips will help protect personal information on your phone.