Protect Yourself From Identity Theft During a Move

When you’re packing up everything you own and getting ready to move to a new home, identity theft may be the very last thing on your mind. However, household moves create a unique opportunity cunning criminals love to take advantage of. The increased activity associated with a household move, including the preparations you make to sell your home, attract attention. Knowing this, be especially mindful of security concerns during this time.

Here are some tips AARP has shared to help homeowners prevent identity theft during a household move:

Lock Up Your ValuablesPrior to an Open House or any other moving activity that involves allowing strangers into your space, make sure your valuables are securely locked away. Cash, jewelry, watches, and medications are especially tempting to thieves. Protect your identity – and your family’s identity – by making sure sensitive documents, including birth certificates, passports & wills are locked up.

Mind Your Mailbox Credit card statements, utility bills, bank and investment paperwork, and other paperwork that comes in the mail can be an absolute gold mine for identity thieves. Make sure to pick up your mail regularly. Keep only the documents you absolutely need and shred the rest. For the ultimate in identity theft protection, consider switching to paperless billing whenever possible. It’s good for the planet too!

Strong Passwords Matter Computers, laptops, smartphones and other mobile devices are especially vulnerable during a move: all you need is one tech-savvy criminal type who has access to your home logging on for a few minutes to lose all of your personally identifying information and more. Change your passwords to be especially secure during your move. A password generator, like Random.org, is a great tool for creating very complex passwords that no one will ever casually guess.

Check Items Before Donating/Selling/Disposing Of Them Give every item you’re planning to get rid of prior to your move a quick once over before getting rid of it. Check pockets, drawers, and between the pages of books to ensure no important or sensitive paperwork has been stored in there. As an extra bonus, you might even find a few dollars that were tucked away and forgotten!