Feds Warn Michigan Residents Not to Carry These Items

No one wants to be told what to do, but when the feds are basically like, “Hey, stop carrying this stuff,” you should probably take the hint, especially since the warning is to protect you and keep you from becoming an easy target.

After hearing so many horror stories of people getting their information stolen while simply pumping gas, I make it a point to give thieves as few opportunities as possible to steal my info. That’s why I never pump gas unless I can use the contactless payment feature. If I have to swipe or insert my card, I’m out. It’s just not worth the risk. And that is what we are getting at here. Do not put yourself at risk if you can avoid it.

See Also: Don’t Touch This in a Michigan Drive-Thru or You Could Get Fined

There are countless ways scammers can get their hands on your personal information, and not all of them are as obvious as you’d think. Some use skimmers at gas pumps or ATMs. Others go after what you carry with you every day. And sometimes, all it takes is one slip-up for your entire identity to be compromised.

What is Synthetic Fraud?

According to Forbes, scammers will take a stolen Social Security number and pair it with fake info like a made-up name, birthday, or phone number to create an entirely new identity. It’s called synthetic identity theft, and it’s one of the hardest types of fraud to catch. Some of these crooks will even spend years building up good credit with that fake profile before cashing out and disappearing. It’s called “busting out,” and yeah, it’s just as shady as it sounds.

Don’t Carry These Items in Michigan

Your Social Security Card

Synthetic fraud is one of the many reasons you should never carry your Social Security card with you. If it gets lost or stolen, it’s basically a golden ticket for scammers to wreak chaos in your life.

Too Many Credit Cards
It’s one thing to carry a single credit card, but it’s another to have six on you at all times. That just increases the chances you’ll drop or lose one somewhere, and nobody needs that hassle. Someone could easily scoop up a card and cause serious havoc in your life.

Spare Key
A lot of people keep a spare house key in their wallet or purse without thinking twice. But if someone snags your stuff, now they have your home address (probably from your ID) and a key to get in. Things can get ugly real fast if they get their hands on that spare.

Blank Checks
Carrying blank checks is basically handing out a direct line to your bank account.

Passwords or PINs Written Down
You’d be surprised how many people (my parents) still carry a little slip of paper with all their logins or PINs. If someone finds it, they screwed.

Birth Certificate
Unless you are heading to the Secretary of State or a government office, there is no reason to carry this around. It is a personal document that is a goldmine for identity thieves.

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It’s nothing you should lose sleep over as long as you’re being smart about what you carry with you. A little caution can go a long way.