To protect yourself against credit fraud, there are a few things you can do… First, take advantage of the new law allowing you to freeze your credit report for free. Second, you can freeze your credit cards and unfreeze when you need to. Third, avoid over-sharing information on social media. In a recent article, individuals convicted for credit fraud shared tips that assisted their ability to steal information from unsuspecting consumers. Remember this:
Your mother’s maiden name allows thieves to link your stolen info with private info that only you would know.
When thieves already have your social security number all they need is your mother’s maiden name or previous addresses to prove they are creditable when calling vendors to gain access to credit cards and open accounts in your name.
Rev. Dr. Donna Taylor is the Pastor of Andrew Chapel, United Methodist Church on the Northern Neck in Montross, VA. Rev. Dr. Taylor promotes best practices for financial literacy and financial empowerment in the church and leads workshops throughout Northern Virginia. Currently, she serves as the Chair of the District Finance Committee. In May 2015, Rev. Dr. Taylor received her Doctor of Ministry from Virginia University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, VA. Rev. Dr. Donna Taylor is married to Dr. David Taylor, who is also the Director of our church-based free clinic. They have two adult children and three grandchildren. In her leisure time, Rev. Dr. Taylor enjoys traveling, jogging, weightlifting, swimming, yoga, and interior decorating. In May 2015, Rev. Dr. Taylor received her Doctor of Ministry from Virginia University of Lynchburg in Lynchburg, Virginia. Rev. Dr. Taylor was born and raised in New York City and recently discovered her ancestral roots in Guinea-Bissau, West Africa. Rev. Dr. Donna Taylor is married to David Taylor and they have a son and a daughter. Their daughter is a educator and son is an Active-Duty Senior Seaman in the Navy married with three children. In her leisure time, she enjoys traveling, reading, swimming, writing poetry, crocheting and spending time with her family.