Take Steps to Protect Your Personal Finances This Holiday Season

The holiday season is the busiest time of year for the 11 pipers.  With mall appearances and parades to pipe in, it was no wonder why it took one of them days to realize he’d fallen prey to thieves and con artists.  Texas CPAs say identity theft can happen to anyone and it’s important to take steps to protect your personal information during this busy time of year.

Limit the amount of personal information you carry with you.  By keeping multiple credit cards, your Social Security card and your checkbook in your wallet, you’re making the job easy for a potential thief. 

Texas Society of Certified Public Accountants (TSCPA) immediate-past Chairman James A. Smith says to also keep an eye on bank statements and credit card bills.   “A missing bill or statement could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his or her tracks,” said Smith.

Texas CPAs also recommend installing a firewall on your computer.  If you plan on doing a lot of online shopping this season, and store vital information on your computer, it’d be a good idea. 

A firewall on your computer may help to prevent hackers from obtaining personal identifying information and financial data from your hard drive.  By making just a few adjustments this season, you can turn identity theft into a mere pipe dream.