LifeLock Blog

Moving is always hectic even if you hire a service to do it for you. When moving you typically loose track of just about everything you own as it disappear into matching boxes with magic marker scribbles on top. So it’s no wonder that a move is a time when you are more vulnerable to identity theft. Many people throw out a lot of unnecessary papers and open their homes to movers who have access to their belongings. It’s a crazy time but don’t leave yourself open to identity theft, with a couple consideration you could be a lot better off.

When considering throwing away unwanted papers shred them before you do so. You don’t always know what information you are just throwing away! Make sure to shred everything that could potentially have any identifying information on it. If you don’t have a shredder go out and buy one, they are not that expensive and typically last pretty long.

Forward your mail ahead of time. As soon as you know your new address make sure you schedule it to be forwarded to your new address through the post office. It’s a simple thing, but you can’t imagine how many people don’t do this. You don’t want the new residence of your house or apartment gaining access to your mail. You could receive something sensitive and it could be sent right to them.

When the movers arrive make sure you have all your sensitive information in a safe corner where the movers understand they are not to go through. Many moving companies don’t move important documents anyway so they won’t have a problem with that. Make sure you stay home during the move to keep an eye on the movers. You don’t necessarily have to watch them just be home so they don’t feel they can go through your stuff without you knowing. If you follow these simple guild lines you will be a lot better off. Don’t let a move be more than just a move, protect yourself from identity theft.

A common security tip is that you have someone stay at your home while attending a funeral or wake when a family member dies. The suggestion is intended to thwart robbers who follow obituaries and funeral schedules and break into family members’ homes.

Lorraine Getchius followed that advice when her husband died and had Donna Lee Heddy, her friend of 25 years, stay at her house during the wake.

Heddy admitted this week she was a fox guarding Getchius’ henhouse—an impostor who committed identity theft against a grieving widow.

Heddy confessed that she stole her friend’s credit cards and used her name and Social Security number to open new credit card accounts, according to Lehigh Valley (PA) prosecutor Lara Mammana.

She used those accounts and Getchius’ name to buy $3,000 worth of goods and services from Verizon Wireless, Dish Network, Shop NBC, Chadwicks and five other businesses, but had the goods delivered to her own address.

Though most identity theft victims never know who attacked them, 43% of respondents to an Identity Theft Resource Center survey said they knew the person who stole their identities.

• In 19% of the cases, the perpetrator was a relative of the ID theft victim.
• In 14% of the cases, the perpetrator was an employee of a business that held personal information of the ID theft victim.
• In 14% of the cases, the perpetrator was a friend or roommate of the ID theft victim.
• In 4% of the cases, the perpetrator was a coworker of the ID theft victim.
• In 4% of the cases, the perpetrator was an ex-spouse or significant other of the ID theft victim.
• In 1% of the cases, the perpetrator was a neighbor of the ID theft victim.