-- Watch out for Sticky Fingers
-- Purses should always be zipped shut; men should keep wallets
in their front pockets.
-- Be a One-Card Carrier
-- Only bring your credit/debit card and driver's license
(leave your Social Security card at home locked in a safe).
-- Keep the Junk in the Trunk
-- Store all of your purchases in the trunk of the car -- where
it is more difficult for a thief to break in.
-- Ask for the Proof
-- Proactively offer to show your driver's license with a debit
or credit card purchase and question the retailer as to why
they don't ask all shoppers for a form of identification.
-- According to a recent survey by Visa and the National
Federation of Independent Business, many small
businesses inadvertently store sensitive customer
information data.
-- Only 4 Digits Necessary
-- Review your receipt and make sure your full credit card
information is not included on the receipt. Also, do
not keep your receipt in the shopping bag.
Protection Tips for Online Shopping:
-- Free Wi-Fi Is Not Free
-- Do not use free Wi-Fi connections as many are set up by
identity thieves as a conduit for stealing personal
information.
-- Your Computer Should be a Fortress
-- Make sure that all anti-phishing and fraud/virus
protection software is updated.
-- Be More Creative with Passwords
-- Change passwords on a regular basis...do not use
passwords that are easy to figure out: children's
names, birth dates, etc.
-- Do Business with the Right People
-- Only shop with reputable online vendors.
-- Just like Dealing with the Mad Rush, Use One Card
-- Use the same credit card with all purchases and check
credit card statements on a weekly basis.
"In today's economic environment, consumers are more conscious of spending
and need to take the necessary steps to protect themselves," said Jessica
Ashley, Director of Marketing, Europ Assistance USA. "While many consumers
are anticipating the excitement of Black Friday, there is also a vast
network of thieves and fraudsters waiting in the wings to target these
vulnerable shoppers."
About Europ Assistance USA
Europ Assistance USA, headquartered in Washington, DC, is a part of the
multinational Europ Assistance Group and its network of 71 companies, 5,000
employees and more than 850,000 service providers and medical personnel
offering assistance services in 208 countries and territories around the
globe. For close to half a century, the group has tailored solutions for
assisting people wherever they may be and helping them respond to the
unexpected throughout their daily lives. Services include emergency
medical transportation, medical referrals, case monitoring claims
management, identity theft resolution and data breach response services.
Twenty-four hours a day at 34 assistance centers worldwide, multilingual
assistance coordinators answer more than two calls per second and handle
one assistance case every two seconds. www.europassistance-usa.com
Contact Information: Contact: Courtney Gidner DBC Public Relations Experts 202-298-7600 x.202 courtney@dbcpr.com