Jururawat Masyarakat

Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information, like your name, you birthday, telephone number number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes. It's important to protect your personal information, and to take certain steps quickly to minimize the potential damage from identity theft if your information is accidentally disclosed or deliberately stolen:

Be careful when giving out personal information in a website, email, instant messaging systems, chat rooms or on message boards, especially when you are not sure. You have to right to ask why and how the information is to used.

Read privacy.

Close compromised credit card accounts immediately.

Monitor your credit card statements. Keep in mind that fraudulent activity may not show up right away.

Consult with your financial institution about any unusual activities on your accounts.

Contact relevant government agencies to cancel and replace any stolen driver's licenses or other identification cards.

Watch for signs of identity theft: late or missing bills, receiving credit cards that you didn't apply for, being denied credit or offered less favorable terms for no apparent reason, or getting contacted by debt collectors or others about purchases you didn't make.

Don't send a picture of yourself, your friends or family to someone you met or chat with online.

If you plan to meet someone that you have met on the Internet, take you're your friend along. People in real life can be different from how they are online.

Don't open up e-mails, files, or website links from people you don't really know.