10 Tips on Identity Theft

1 | Do not carry unnecessary personal documents and update them as new versions become available. In the event of robbery, theft or loss, the new documents preclude forgery from third parties, since these new documents have greater security measures.

2 | Do not give your personal data to strangers by e-mail, telephone, letter or social networks. You should take personal measures upon using technology and one of those measures is to be aware of our personal data value. Making these data available online without restrictions may result in a virtual identity theft.

3 | Destroy documents (both in physical and digital format) that contain personal information no longer necessary in order to ensure that such information cannot be reconstructed and used by third parties to your detriment.

4 | Use security systems and secure passwords in your PC and do not share them. Do not always use the same password, change it regularly. Passwords are the entrance key to our personal data, their confidentiality and security at the moment of creation shall be of utmost importance to safeguard out data.

5 | Do not let public computers to remember your password. The use of shared equipment leaves traces of our transactions on those computers; therefore you should make sure that those traces are minuscule by not allowing those computers to remember your passwords or nicknames. Moreover, a good practice is to use the virtual keyboard and surf the internet with the ´private mode´ on, if available.

6 | Store your notebook, tablet, cellphone and any other storage medium in safe places. The data stored in these devices may be subtracted; hence you should be precautious with the storage medium used and store them in safe places under lock and key if they have sensitive information.

7 | If you lose your ID or other identity document or if they are stolen, you should always file a police report. That shall be the first safeguard in case of a possible identity theft and the police station has the obligation to receive your identity theft report. Moreover, you should immediately obtain a new document.

8 | Regularly Request you report to credit information companies. If those companies are illegally using your data, request them to inform that in the report. If you have been victim of robbery, theft or loss of your documents, you should request them to inform such situation and which is the new updated document. Remember your request is free of charge.

9 | If you lose your credit card or checkbook or they are stolen, you should contact your issuing bank. Consequently, the bank may block your card and the checkbook information available in the banks´ security systems in order to safeguard your accounts and money.

10 | Verify the identity of the persons you are commercially and professionally connected.

For more information on this topic:

- - National Department for the Personal Data Protection