The Cultured Girl

While packing for an upcoming trip last night, I found a couple old ticket stubs that, like usual, had been stashed inside the front pocket of my suitcase. I threw away without a second thought, but I guess I should’ve been more careful because, according to the Guardian, these crumpled papers provide the essential building blocks needed to steal my identity.

Using only a British Airways stub found in the trash, reporter Steve Boggan was able to gain full access to a traveler’s personal details–including his passport number, the date it expired, his nationality (Dutch, living in the UK), and his date of birth. Boggan then surfed publicly available databases and found out–within 15 minutes–where the passenger lived, where he worked, which universities he had attended, and how much his house was worth. Find out how he did it here.

So besides ripping up your boarding pass, what other steps should you take to make sure no one snatches your cultured identity? Here’s a good list I gleaned from MSNBC:

1. According to officials, people really do go ‘dumpster diving’, or sift through trash to find a statement or bill that someone didn’t destroy. Tear up — or, if you prefer, shred — credit card statements, solicitations and other documents that contain private financial information.

2. Secure your mail. Empty your mailbox quickly, lock it or get a P.O. box so criminals don’t have a chance to snatch credit card pitches. Never mail outgoing bill payments and checks from home. They can be stolen from your mailbox and the payee’s name erased with solvents. Mail them from the post office or another secure location.

3. Safeguard your Social Security number. Never carry your card with you, or any other card that may have your number, like a health insurance card. And don’t put your number on your checks. It’s the primary target for identity thieves because it gives them access to your credit report and bank accounts.

4. Don’t leave a paper trail. Never leave ATM, credit card or gas station receipts behind. Many criminals also ’shoulder surf’ in an attempt to spot calling card and personal identification numbers. So while you may feel paranoid, watch your back.

5. Never let your credit card out of your sight. Criminals have been known to bribe waiters so that when they ring up a credit card they will also run it through a skimmer, which collects your credit card information. Always keep an eye on your card or, when that’s not possible, pay with cash.

6. Know who you’re dealing with. Whenever anyone contacts you asking for private identity or financial information, make no response other than to find out who they are, what company they represent and the reason for the call. If you think the request is legitimate, contact the company yourself and confirm what you were told before revealing any of your personal data.

7. Take your name off marketers’ hit lists. In addition to the national Do-Not-Call registry (1-888-382-1222), you can also cut down on junk mail and opt out of credit card solicitations.

8. Be more defensive with personal information. Ask salespeople and others if information such as a Social Security or driver’s license number is absolutely necessary. Ask anyone who does require your Social Security number — for instance, your insurance company — what their privacy policy is and whether you can arrange for the organization not to share your information with anyone else.

9. Monitor your credit report. Obtain and thoroughly review your credit report (now available for free at Annualcreditreport.com or by calling 877-322-8228) at least once a year to look for suspicious activity. If you spot something, alert your card company or the creditor immediately. You may also want to subscribe to a credit protection service, like Experian’s CreditCheck, which alerts you any time a change takes place with your credit report.

10. Review your credit card statements carefully. Make sure you recognize the merchants, locations and purchases listed before paying the bill. If you don’t need or use department-store or bank-issued credit cards, consider closing the accounts.