The private investigators in Boise say identity theft continues to be an active crime. With thanks to new technology and tech savvy thieves, it is becoming more important daily to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft. The good news is that you can take several steps to reduce the risk of your personal information getting into the wrong hands. Here are a few:

1 – Shred It, Don’t Throw It Away

Important documents that you no longer need should not be crumbled up and tossed with the trash. Although thieves don’t typically root through garbage anymore, you do risk having personal information gathered. A good way to avoid this is with a personal shredder, which will destroy the paperwork before you dispose of it.

2 – Lock Your Mailbox

If you have mail delivered to a box at the end of your driveway or sidewalk, replace your mailbox with one that can be locked. Check your mail frequently and for letters containing sensitive data, opt for those to be delivered to a post office so you can pick them up personally.

3 – Leave Government Documents At Home

The private investigators in Boise say passports, birth certificates and social security cards should not be with you unless you require them for that day. For the rest of the time these important identity documents should be stored in a secure location in your home.

4 – Use Antivirus And Spyware Software

With computer use increasing daily one of the best ways to protect your online information is by using antivirus and spyware programs. Even if you have to pay a small annual fee it is worth it to protect your data from hackers.

5 – Passwords

The private investigators in Boise suggest changing your passwords often. This will give you a layer of security if you keep changing them every six months. Just be sure to not use the same password for all your online accounts.

6 – Watch Where You Shop

If you spend a fair amount of time online shopping, keep your shopping habits to sites that are secure. You can tell when one is if a small ‘padlock’ icon appears in the address window at the top of your computer screen. If you don’t see the padlock, do not offer personal information including your credit card.

7 – Cool It On Social Media

Another timely tip from the private investigators in Boise is to reduce the amount of personal information you share in social media sites. There’s nothing wrong with sharing and posting it’s just that you need to be aware of what you share. Posting photos of credit cards, driver’s licenses and such is not a good idea.

8 – Wifi Security

Public wifi signals are all around us but are they secure? Even if you use public wifi on a regular basis, it is wise to not submit passwords, personal information or login data when using a public signal. This is where many hackers lurk.

9 – Monitor Accounts

One more way to protect yourself, according to the private investigators in Boise is to keep regular checks on your online accounts. Banks and online companies are getting better at blocking unauthorized sign ins but you must remember to sign out of programs to prevent someone from gaining access just by picking up one of your devices and walking away with it.

10 – Contact the Private Investigators In Boise

At Custer Agency we can give you advice on how to better protect your identity online and off. We can provide you with information on what sources to use and which ones to avoid. Let the experience our private investigators in Boise have work in your favor and give you peace of mind.

How Technology Has Changed The Way Private Investigators Work

The private investigators in Boise have always concentrated on field work which puts a detective out of the office and tracking information leads. However, thanks to new technology such as the internet, many investigators conduct their searches online. But if you had to guess what the split was between field work and online investigations, what would you think it would be?

Well, there are several variables but basically speaking, the average detective will spend half of his time in the field and the rest online. This does depend on the kind of investigation being conducted. An example where technology has shifted the workload is in record checks. Now that the majority of records accessed for investigative purposes are online, libraries and dark, dingy storage facilities housing decades of paper files are not necessarily where a PI will spend days.

For a better picture of the kinds of work the private investigators in Boise do, let’s break it down into two different categories.

Online Investigations

An online investigation for the purpose of this example is anything that a detective would have once done in person but can accomplish now through the internet. The top three online investigation types in 2016 were:

1 – Record Checks and Retrieval – up to 87% of this work was conducted online

2 – Background Investigations (Personal, Financial) – up to 79% online

3 – Locate A Person (Missing, Lost Relative, etc.) – up to 76% online

On Location Investigations

An on location investigation would be a case where a detective is conducting work in the field, away from the office and not on a computer. The top three on location investigation types in 2016 were:

1 – Infidelity (requiring personal interviews, photography, etc.) – up to 87% in the field

2 – Post-Relationship (Custody, Alimony) – up to 73% conducted on location

3 – Harassment – up to 63% on location

Trust The Private Investigators In Boise

Of course, there are crimes that have developed as a result of the new technology that require almost exclusive online investigative techniques such as catfishing and social media investigations. On the other hand, security and witness interviewing would be almost exclusively field work. Regardless of what your requirements are, Custer Agency can help. Contact the private investigators in Boise today for more information.