Protect yourself Against Identity Theft Over the Phone

As I was writing this article, I got a call from a doctor's office, reminding me of my eye appointment next week. The nurse called me by my previous married last name (I remarried just over a year ago) so I continued with the conversation. I did not remember that doctor's name, but I had been to an ophthalmologist within the past two years, so I could have had a follow up appointment I had forgotten. I went merrily along answering the nurse's questions about my health care provider and when the last time I might have been in their office so she could try and help me to remember when I made that appointment. Finally, I said it must not be me after all.

After I hung up the phone my husband made a comment about how much information I was giving out to someone I really did not know. (We share our office space and he had overheard to my conversation.) After all of the studying I have done on credit and credit repair, imagine how I felt when I realized how easily I had given up data about myself. I immediately called the doctor's office back and asked more questions. Things like, what was their exact address, when was the appointment made, what was the appointment for? Since it turned out to be for cataracts, I knew for sure I was not me they were trying to reach. At that point I asked them to remove my cell phone from that person's records.

I had allowed the perceived validity of a doctor's office calling for a perfectly ordinary reason to short circuit my good sense. Ironically I was even in the middle of working on this exact article.

I was lucky, this was just an innocent case of mixed up files, but what should I have done before I gave out any information to someone I did not immediately recognize?

Keep these tips by your phone for those times you are unsure who is calling:

1. Verify the caller's identity by asking questions to find out their name, who they are, and why they are calling.

2. Get a phone number and call them back - you can say it is just in case you get disconnected.

3. Check out the name and address on the Internet.

4. Get details on the type of information they want, find out why they need that data.

5. Never give out your full name, address, social security number, phone number, date of birth, number of people in your house, who else is home, or any other identifying information.

6. Ask to speak with a supervisor if they are less than cooperative.

 7. Explain that you are trying to protect yourself from becoming a victim of Identity Theft and ask for their cooperation in verifying who they are before you give out your data. You can also say that you do not have time to talk and will call them back later.

 Remember to S.E.E.®

STOP blindly following directions

EXAMINE the situation

EXECUTE the appropriate response

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