Shopping with Your Eyes Open
Every time I teach a seminar or speak to a group I am always asked about how safe it is to shop on-line. The answer to that is that regardless of where you shop (on-line or in person) you always have to be alert and concerned about becoming the victim of Identity Theft.
The reality is that someone is processing your information and is therefore aware of your identifiers and/or credit card numbers. The best way to protect yourself is to make sure that you only shop on-line with reputable parties and businesses that have demonstrated the responsibility to protect your good name and information.
The same is true of shopping in person. Make sure that you keep a constant eye on your credit card and identifiers. If you are completing paperwork for an instant credit application, make sure that when the transaction is completed you ask for the application back so you can destroy it. Once the application is processed there is NO need for the merchant to maintain the application. If nothing else, ask them to destroy (shred) the document in front of you for your own personal safety.
