4 Ways New Grads Are Vulnerable to Identity Theft

 

As new graduates climb down from the ivory tower (diploma in hand), many will be facing “real world” transactions for the first time, and they are at risk. Identity-related crimes, bad deals and credit score pitfalls pockmark the road ahead. And for those new grads who are thinking, “It can’t happen to me,” prepare to say “Hello” to reality. 

Data breaches and the identity theft cases that stem from them have become certainties in life, right behind death and taxes. There are things you can do to better protect yourself, detect the problems and lessen the damage when the inevitable occurs. However, if you think a compromise to your credit or identy won’t cost you much in actual dollars and cents, consider the emotional upheaval and hours of frustration spent dealing with it that are non-refundable. 

The bottom line for new grads: Your identity and your credit are incredibly valuable assets. And while it may be a wee bit early to be thinking about your investment portfolio, you already have two investment-grade portfolios that you should be managing: your credit portfolio and your identity portfolio.

Here are some general rules of the road for protecting your identity that, if you follow them, could make life a tad easier for you.