Leave your card at home

Leave your Social Security card at home. Also, don’t enter your SSN on your phone, laptop, or any other device. The occasions in which you might need to write your SSN are very rare. Usually, reciting the number is all you have to do, so keep the number in your head and the card locked up somewhere safe at home.

Shred mail and other documents with personal details

Discarded mail and documents are the easiest things to steal identities from. So don’t just throw out the papers that have all your personal details, like your Social Security number. Make sure you get a paper shredder and start using it on a regular basis.

And if you decide to do it, make sure you don’t leave your mail in any outside mailbox for longer periods of time. Stealing your mail is another way in which thieves might try to come after you.