Have a safe school year with Master Lock

It's that time of year again as kids are preparing to head back to school.  With all the electronic gadgets they carry now, from cell phones, to iPods, to mp3 players, the risk of theft is much greater than it once was.  Add to that the fact that young adults are the most at risk of identity theft and it becomes imperative to keep both them and their electronics safe.  Here are some ways to protect them:

- Remind them not to give personal information to anyone.  This applies to both strangers online, but also to their classmates.  We are all aware of the dangers that can come into play when someone shares their location with a stranger, but their classmates can use their personal information to steal their identity.

- Teach them now to shred and destroy all papers with their personal information and account numbers on them.  My oldest daughter has been receiving credit card offers since she was 2 years old.  We immediately had her credit report ran to make sure that her credit had not already been compromised and we check it regularly for her still.  We also shred all credit offers that come in her name.  On top of shredding the information, we then throw the shreds into a garbage bag with the grossest garbage we can find, such as poopy diapers, conveniently left open and any foods that might have gotten left in the back of the fridge.  We want to make sure no one wants to even try to piece the shredded papers back together.

-  Keep their electronics safe with Master Lock 5900D SafeSpace which provides protection for electronics, cash, keys and other items that they carry with them.  The oval-shaped, foam-lined case features an integrated cable that can be securely anchored to a fixed object or used as a handle for convenient carrying. The Master Lock 5900D SafeSpace is available in white, grey and even pink (my favorite!) and retails for under $20.

Although my children do not attend regular school, I still find it is important for them to follow the above hints to keep themselves safe and to ensure their identity remains their own.  You can visit Master Lock's facebook page to test your own safety and security knowledge and to enter the Master Combo Challenge.

Disclaimer
This post contains affiliate links.  Also, by posting about Master Lock, I am entering a contest for a Master Lock back-to-school prize pack as a member of the Mom Bloggers Club.