ID Theft Prevention

Check your mailbox every day or have your mail delivered to a lock box or PO box to avoid people stealing your personal mail documents.

Shred bank, credit card, credit card applications or any other documents before placing them in your trash.

Do not give out your personal information over the phone. Be leery of phone calls requesting personal information. All companies you do business with should already have your information and not need to request it from you over the phone (especially during non-business hours).

Do not let greed cause you to be a victim. There are a number of scams that take place over the Internet, phone, and mail notifying you that you are entitled to a large sum of money. Do not respond to these requests or give out any information to one of these solicitations.

Protect Information on your Computer

• Keep your antivirus software up to date.
• Do not click on links in E-mails you receive, even if you believe you know who the sender is.
• Install some form of anti-spam\spyware software onto your computer.
• If available, install a firewall to help protect you from unwanted access to your computer.
• Avoid entering sensitive information into popup windows that appear in front of any webpages that you are visiting.
• If you do online transactions, see if your credit card company has a program to supply one-time use card numbers or website specific card numbers that you can use for online purchases.

Identity Theft in the Future

The masks and faces that are seen with identity theft are always changing. The Grass Valley Police Department is always trying to educate and enlighten as many people as possible to help them avoid being a victim. If you are interested in obtaining further information or materials regarding identity theft, please contact the Grass Valley Police Department.