Protect yourself from identity theft

Brodie Krause,
IT Manager

Another day, another data breach. News broke earlier this month of a data breach at Home Depot, resulting in stolen credit card information and personal data. In response, Home Depot has begun offering a year of free identity protection and insurance through AllClear ID.

Services like AllClear ID  and ProtectMyID.com actively scan for threats to your identity's security.  As a member, you receive:

• Monthly reports of the status of your identity
• Immediate alerts if any questionable activity shows up
• Assessment tools to help to determine your level of risk
• “Lost Wallet” services to help in the event your wallet is lost or stolen

Beyond this, make sure you are following extra measures to keep your online footprint secure. Utilize a password manager program to break the habit of using the same password at every site. I prefer a program called KeePass, which is free and installs on your computer. Most email and social network sites now offer two-factor authentication, which is currently the best way to prevent a hacker from getting into your accounts should they acquire your password.

Take the security of your identity seriously. At this point it isn’t a question of "if" your identity will be compromised, it’s “when.” So make use of all the tools available and educate yourself on how to stay secure.

This article originally appeared in Modern Memorialization, Trigard Memorials' weekly electronic newsletter featuring information for the funeral industry. Sign up for your free subscription at http://www.trigard.com/thursdays.