• Home
  • Services
    • Audit
    • Small Business Accounting
    • Consulting
    • Estate & Trust
    • Forensic & Fraud Prevention Services
    • Succession & Acquisition
    • Tax Planning & Compliance
    • Valuation & Litigation Support
  • Industries
    • Construction
    • Finance and Leasing
    • Manufacturers and Distributors
    • Health Care
    • Real Estate
    • Restaurant and Retail
    • Service
    • Not-for-Profits
  • About Us
    • Affiliates
    • Memberships
    • Mission & Vision
    • Our Team
    • Our Firm’s Peer Review
    • Recognition
  • Careers
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Newsletter
    • Succession Planning Guide
    • Profit Planning Guide
    • SafeSend Tax Returns
Contact
  • Home
  • Services
    • Audit
    • Small Business Accounting
    • Consulting
    • Estate & Trust
    • Forensic & Fraud Prevention Services
    • Succession & Acquisition
    • Tax Planning & Compliance
    • Valuation & Litigation Support
  • Industries
    • Construction
    • Finance and Leasing
    • Manufacturers and Distributors
    • Health Care
    • Real Estate
    • Restaurant and Retail
    • Service
    • Not-for-Profits
  • About Us
    • Affiliates
    • Memberships
    • Mission & Vision
    • Our Team
    • Our Firm’s Peer Review
    • Recognition
  • Careers
  • Resources
    • Blog
    • Newsletter
    • Succession Planning Guide
    • Profit Planning Guide
    • SafeSend Tax Returns
Call Us
Get Directions

Blog


Home / Blog / 5 Tips to Avoid Identity Theft –

5 Tips to Avoid Identity Theft –

February 13, 2013 by Stephanie Potash

The Department of Justice, the U.S. Attorney’s offices and the IRS conducted a national sweep recently targeting identity theft suspects.  This coast-to-coast effort led to 734 enforcement actions in January.  To view a detailed map of the January 2013 IRS ID Theft enforcement actions click here.

Here are 5 Tips to Avoid Identity Theft:

1.  Order your credit report – Monitoring your credit report is a great way to check to see if there is any suspicious activity or red flags.  You can get your free annual credit report at annualcreditreport.com

2. Don’t re-use passwords – Even though it might be tempting to always use one password the danger is that if a criminal is able to use the password to one bank account, they then have access to your other accounts.  Also if there is an option for additional security questions, use it!  The optional security questions are questions you can choose from, and answers are ones that usually you would be the only to know.  For example:  Favorite grade school teacher.

3.  Shred! – Shred mail and documents that might have information a criminal could use.  Criminals can steal your identity just by picking up a bag of your trash.  Buy an inexpensive shredder for home and make sure to shred anything that has your personal information on it.

4. When buying online make sure you use trusted sites – Payment processors like paypal and google check out are secure.  Smaller shops that you are not sure about you may want to research.  Also if you look at the bottom right hand corner and their is a padlock icon, that means you are using a secure site.

5.  Know how to spot phishing – Phishing is a technique used by identity thieves to get your sensitive information by pretending to be a site you trust. Phishing schemes are successful because you believe that you’re just signing into your bank or credit card account, when it’s really a ploy to get your important information. Some red flags may be if the website address appears different.  Also if they ask for more information than normal.  If you receive an alert from a banking institution or credit card through email that you find suspicious do not click on links embedded in the email text.  Instead call that institution and ask them about the email or you can open up a new browser and go to their actual website to see if everything is normal.

** Another helpful hint **

These days we do so much through our mobile phones and tablets.  Make sure they are secure.  Have a password to unlock your phones.  Don’t save passwords to your banking app and emails.  A lot of the time to re-set a password all a criminal will need is to send an email to your email account and if that email account is not “locked” on your phone they are able to get that information and reset all your passwords.  Additionally, you can download apps to help find and secure your mobile phone and tablet.

Here are some options: http://www.informationweek.com/byte/personal-tech/smart-phones/apps-to-save-your-lost-or-stolen-iphone/232901440


Recent Posts

  • New Gordon Advisors, P.C. Shareholders Announcement
  • Nine financial KPIs construction firms should be tracking
  • How better job costing is the key to unlocking greater profitability for your construction firm
  • Biden Administration Releases Explanations of FY2022 Budget Tax Proposals
  • What Businesses and Individuals Should Know for the 2020-2021 Tax Season

Categories

  • Accounting
  • Bookkeeping
  • Business
  • Economy
  • Entertainment / Movie Industry
  • Financial Planning
  • Gordon Advisors, P.C.
  • Michigan
  • Small Business

Testimonials


“Many years of accurate, thorough, prompt service regardless of which employee or department.”


— President, Manufacturing. Gordon Client for over 30 years. —

“Always there for our family and our business. 100% trust from all partners. Service could not be better. ”


— CFO, Retail. Gordon Client for 18 years. —

“Easy to work with - professional and friendly!”


— Individual, Trust Accounting. Gordon Client for 7 years. —

“Excellent service and excellent advice.”


— Individual. Gordon Client for 11 years. —

“Friendly, trustworthy, knowledgeable, quality work, at a reasonable price. ”


— Individual. Gordon Client for 15 years. —

“I & our companies have worked with Gordon Advisors for many years and they have always been high quality.”


— Owner, Restaurant. Gordon Client for over 30 years. —

“We have been with your company for many years and still have a very good relationship. We are always given the best advice and receive total co-operation. ”


— Trust. Gordon Client for 8 years. —

“Gordon Advisor has always gone the extra step addressing my needs, answer my questions and making me feel special. Even though I'm not their biggest customer. ”


— Individual. Gordon Client for 17 years. —

“We have been working with Gordon Advisors for 20+ years. Wonderful people. ”


— Controller, Manufacturing. Gordon Client for 22 years. —

“As we are a charity, I would recommend their services to other charities as they are familiar with the needs of a charity. ”


— Executive Director, Not-For-Profit. Gordon Client for 14 years. —

“The staff are all highly capable, friendly and accessible. Gordon Advisors are a great resource to our organization and have always treated myself, the staff and my Board of Directors with the utmost respect. ”


— Executive Director, Not-For-Profit. Gordon Client for 12 years. —

“Excellent relationship with Gordon Advisors for the past 34 years. They do our yearly audit and are professional, caring and efficient. We are extremely happy with the work done for us, and the board votes every year to keep them as our auditors. ”


— Executive Director, Not-For-Profit. Gordon Client for over 30 years. —

“Over 20 years of service. They are friendly and professional. We've never been disappointed. ”


— CEO, Construction. Gordon Client for 20 years. —

“We always receive good service and value. A great friendship and understanding has been developed over the years. ”


— CFO, Manufacturing. Gordon Client for 18 years. —

“They have been very helpful and responsive, and have always met our needs. ”


— Manager, Hospitality. Gordon Client for 7 years. —

“The service provided is consistently delivered on a timely basis with value.”


— CFO, Medical Device Manufacturing. Gordon Client for 14 years. —

Contact Us

248.952.0200

248.952.0290

1301 West Long Lake Road
Suite 200
Troy, MI 48098

Helpful Links

  • Home
  • Services
  • Industries
  • About Us
  • COVID-19 Resource Center
  • Our Team
  • Careers
  • Blog
  • Newsletter
  • SafeSend Tax Returns
Gordon Advisors

2022 © Gordon Advisors, P.C. | All rights reserved.