Identity theft is enough of a common occurrence that you should be taking precautions to protect yourself from it on a daily basis. And since you're even more vulnerable while moving, you need to take these everyday security measures up another level when moving day arrives.
Secure important documents
 Extremely important documents like your social insurance card, tax records, birth certificate, etc. become especially susceptible to theft when moving from one home to another.
In order to ensure their safety and the continued safety of your identity:
- Move them yourself
- Keep them in your car locked inside the glove compartment
- Store them in a personal safe within your trunk
- Secure them on your person at all times for added precaution
- Move them through movers
- Have movers relocate them secured inside a locked safe
- Place them with innocuous items that will not draw attention
Beware of moving scams
Yet another way you become open to theft during a move is to become embroiled in a moving scam. Not only could you potentially lose some money, but you could also have important information about you taken by the scam artists.
Some helpful things to keep in mind when avoiding moving scams:
TIP: Never, ever give secure information like your social security number to a moving company or hand them large deposits up front. This is not a common moving practise.
Take care of your mail
Your identity can be stolen via the mail everyday, but you become more vulnerable if you do not take the proper precautions through the Canada Post.
- Fill out a change of address form
- Sign up to have your mail forwarded to your new location
- Inform loved ones and companies about your new address
- Notify the bank, credit card companies, insurance companies, subscription services (newspapers, magazines), the DMV, your employer, friends, family, physicians, etc.
TIP: For added security during your move (and in the future), shred any important mail containing personal information. Some thieves still commit fraud and steal your identity by taking it from junk mail that you casually toss in the garbage.
Protect your technology
Information may also be stolen from your technology. To protect phones and computers during your move, make sure they are in a secure place, lock automatically when not in use and have passcodes built into them to protect from snooping.
Selling laptops or other electronic devices containing secure information to help make extra money for your move? Take precautions to be sure that they are wiped of all pertinent data that could lead to identity theft.
Check your credit report
To confirm that you have not been the victim of identity theft, look at your credit report regularly for any inconsistencies. The quicker you catch it, the sooner you can protect your credit score from any further damage.
This should be done often -- not just when you're moving your home. |