identity theft
Money
12:30PM Angus Kidman | Identity theft and the loss of personal data often come across as peculiarly impersonal crimes committed by shadowy gangs from countries you never heard of in geography class. But while protecting against those threats with regular updates and solid anti-virus tools is important, you also need to think about how personal information can be abused by people you actually know. More »
Identity Theft Not Always By Strangers
12:30PM Angus Kidman | Identity theft and the loss of personal data often come across as peculiarly impersonal crimes committed by shadowy gangs from countries you never heard of in geography class. But while protecting against those threats with regular updates and solid anti-virus tools is important, you also need to think about how personal information can be abused by people you actually know. More » 
Fix
2:00AM Kevin Purdy | We’ve offered up a wealth of tips on locking down your data, but old-school, straight-up stealing is another matter entirely. Try these 10 tips on securing, disguising, tracking down and hiding your goods so they don’t get nicked. More »
Top 10 Tactics For Protecting Your Stuff
2:00AM Kevin Purdy | We’ve offered up a wealth of tips on locking down your data, but old-school, straight-up stealing is another matter entirely. Try these 10 tips on securing, disguising, tracking down and hiding your goods so they don’t get nicked. More »
Fix
Securely Destroy Your Credit Card In Fifteen Slices
4:30AM Azadeh Ensha | Identity theft happens, which is why knowing how to safely cut and discard your expired credit cards is worth knowing. Money weblog Wallet Pop offers their take on how to do so properly. More »
Fix
Properly Erase Your Physical Media
4:00PM Jason Fitzpatrick | A whopping 40% of the used hard drives on eBay contain easily recoverable personal data. Use the following guide to ensure your personal data never makes it out into the wild. Photo by AMagill. More »
The Three ‘D’s of Identity Theft Prevention
12:00PM Adam Pash | Financial blogger J.D. Roth was recently the victim of mail theft, including some tax documents. After reporting the theft to the postal service, Roth received a flyer from the Federal Trade Commission with techniques for fighting identity theft. Instead of giving the thieves the opportunity to cash in on any sensitive information they may have obtained, Roth followed every step of the FTC’s flier, which takes a three-pronged approach to identity theft prevention: Deter, Detect, and Defend. For each step, the FTC provides smart steps you can take to keep yourself secure (deter), methods for staying alert in the event someone does steal your personal information (detect), and tips for dealing with a theft that has already occurred (defend). For more, check out the FTC’s official identity theft site. How to Prevent Identity Theft — Deter, Detect, Defend [Get Rich Slowly] More »Use a shredder to protect against identity theft
11:18AM Sarah Stokely | If you’re concerned about identity theft, then you may want to consider a shredder for disposing of papers like credit card bills or applications. The Frugal for Life blog advises against the older strip cutter type of shredder:
“In my search I have found that cross-cutter paper shredders are better
than the the strip cutters, that have been around longer. Strip cutter
shredders still allow the criminal to reassemble the document so that
it can be used. Where as cross cutters make the process MUCH more
difficult if not impossible.”
While many businesses use shredding services for sensitive documents, most people aren’t as careful at home. The Consumerist blog says “committed identity thieves can piece together strip-shredded documents,
and credit card companies readily accept torn applications.”
The also offer a few ways you can make use of the shredded paper – packing material, pet beds or … homebrew confetti.
Buy a Shredder [Frugal for Life] More » 
