This presentation will you show some useful tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft.

1. SAFEGUARDING YOURSELF
FROM IDENTITY THEFT
By: Sentinel Background Checks

2. IDENTITY
THEFT
• It can be a nightmare in its simplest form and
can even ruin a life in extreme circumstances.
• Identity theft is something that should be
monitored all year long, especially when tax
season arrives.

3. TAX FRAUD THROUGH
IDENTITY THEFT
• Every year more and more people take advantage of filing their tax
return online. Unfortunately, this can increase the chances of identity
theft.
• Tax fraud through identity theft has become an increasing concern for
the Internal Revenue Service (IRS).
• “As of March 5, 2016…the IRS had identified 42,148 tax returns with
$227 million claimed in fraudulent refunds.”-Robert W. Wood, FORBES
• By following this four-point-guide, you will not only understand how
simple it is for a thief to steal your information, but also learn how to
protect yourself from falling victim.

4. FOUR-POINT-POINT GUIDE TO
PROTECTING YOUR IDENTITY
1.Know when to Share Social
Security Number.
2.Don’t Overshare on Social
Media.
3.Shred, Shred, Shred.
4.Avoid Unsecured Wi-Fi.

5. KNOW WHEN TO
SHARE SOCIAL
SECURITY NUMBER.
• You should only share your
SSN when you know the entity
you’re dealing with (I.E. bank,
work, etc.)
• If you ever receive a random
request for your SSN over the
phone or via an email, be
assured it is a scam
• Report it to the police
immediately.

6. DON’T OVERSHARE ON SOCIAL
MEDIA
• Many people are overly open on their social media
pages and don’t elect to set any privacy controls.
• Sharing too much information makes it easy for
identity thieves to piece together information about
your life so they can easily steal your identity.
• Protect your information by strengthening your privacy
settings.

7. SHRED, SHRED, SHRED
• many people make the mistake of
disposing of sensitive information in a
trash can instead of shredding.
• Bank statements, pay stubs, insurance
papers and tax forms all contain private
information that will help identity thieves
target you.
• A simple shredder costs less than $20
these days and can save you a lot of
trouble and a lot of expense.

8. AVOID UNSECURED
WI-FI
• Wi-Fi hotspots can be set up by
virtually anyone anywhere.
• Tapping into an unsecured hotspots
can allow a thief to steal your data
as if you handed them your phone
or computer with your passwords.
• Try to only use private and secured
connections. Especially when using
personal information.

9. IN HIS BOOK, THE BUSINESS IMMUNITY SYSTEM, SENTINEL
BACKGROUND CHECKS CEO RACHID ZAHIDI ALSO TACKLES
THE COMPLEXITIES OF HOW IDENTITY THEFT HAPPENS.
ZAHIDI COVERS MANY OF THE SAME PREVENTATIVE
MEASURES MENTIONED ABOVE BUT HE ALSO DELVES A BIT
DEEPER, EXPLAINING THAT THIEVES CAN EASILY STEAL W-2’S
FROM MAILBOXES.
Rachid Zahidi is president and CEO of Sentinel Background Checks and has
enjoyed a long career spanning multiple industries, including international
business, risk management, background checks, and anti-money laundering
investigations. For more information on the services offered by SB Checks, please
call (888) 725-2535 or visit sbchecks.com.