PEQUOT LAKES — Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union will host a free community shred days from 2-3 p.m. Tuesday, May 24, at its Pequot Lakes office.
Shredding documents that have personal information is a great way to protect one's self from identity theft, keeping the wrong person from finding Social Security numbers, financial account numbers, credit card numbers and any other valuable identifying data.
Those participating are asked to limit documents to three boxes. Mid-Minnesota staff will be on hand to assist.
Mid-Minnesota recommends these additional ways to protect one's identity:
- Set-up a “junk” email address for mailings or ordering products online.
- Monitor bank statements and credit card statements regularly.
- Review credit reports (at a minimum) once a year at: www.annualcreditreport.com
- Shred all financial information, such as bank statements, credit card receipts, preapproved credit applications, etc.
- Have payments directly deposited into an account (ie. Social Security).
- Empty wallets of extras. Remove a Social Security card and infrequently used credit cards. Carry birth certificates and passports only when necessary.
- Keep an emergency list of all financial account numbers and credit card accounts in a safe location, such as a safe deposit box.
- Strengthen passwords: minimum of eight characters; use numbers, lowercase letters, uppercase letters and special characters; pick themes and phrases; don’t use names; and use different passwords for everything.
Those who suspect they are a victim of identity theft or any type of fraud should contact Mid-Minnesota Federal Credit Union and the local authorities right away.
The Trust Project
