Each year, many people fall victim to identity theft. Anybody can be targeted, and it isn't a problem you can fix right away. According to MSN Money, the average victim spends 40 hours trying to get back his identity. However, identity theft is largely preventable if you take proper measures when giving out personal information, such as your birth date.
Verify that the person asking for your birth date is a reliable party. For example, if you're applying for a credit card or a bank account at a professional office in person, it's acceptable. However, speaking to someone outside of a professional location is not the safest scenario.
Avoid giving out information unless you're the one who has made the call. If you have the verified number of your respectable company, it's safe to offer your birth date or similar information to verify that you are who you say you are. If someone claiming to be from the company calls you, however, keep a tight lid on your personal information. If someone makes threats regarding your account if you don't give him your information, hang up and call the company through the verified phone number found on your bills.
Read More: How to Report a Stolen Birth Certificate
Avoid giving out too much personal information at once. Though the birth date alone may not get you into much trouble, your birth date accompanied with your full name, address and Social Security number would certainly claim you as a victim in due time.
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Writer Bio
Seth Amery is a long-time writer whose specialties extend to all areas of video games, having written thousands of tutorials, fully-featured strategy guides and reviews across all platforms. His experience also includes one-on-one relationships with major gaming publishers to write previews on upcoming games, establish interviews with game designers and hold early game giveaways.