How to Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft and What to Do If You're a Victim

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. Simply defined, identity theft is using someone's name and personal information to commit financial fraud.

The key to protecting yourself from identity theives is safeguarding your information through diligently protecting your privacy.

There’s no way to completely guarantee protection against identity theft, but there are a number of things you can to to help foil frausters who are seeking to prey of your. Here are some simple steps you can take to protect your identity:

1. Keep your personal information in a safe place. Unless you need to use them don’t carry your social security card, birth certificate or or passport on your person. Make copies and secure the originals in a safe place (strong box, safety deposit box or locked cabinet). If you should lose any of these documents, immediately contact the appropriate government agency.

2. Properly dispose of financial records, statements and receipts. Shred, tear up or burn anything containing your personal information: credit card and bank account and brokerage statements, solicitations and other documents that contain private financial details.

3. Protect your postal mail. Quickly remove mail from your mailbox, getting a locking box (or a P.O. box) so fraudsters can't steal credit card invitations or financial date. Never place outgoing bill payments and personal checks in your home's mail box. Always mail them directly from the post office or another secure location (with outgoing office mail, etc.).

4. Protect your Social Security and state license/IDnumber. Never carry your Social Security card with you (or any other item that has your SSN on it such as a health insurance card or employee ID). NEVER write or have your SSN or license number printed on your personal checks.

5. Avoid leaving a paper trail. Always take gas station, ATM or credit card and file or destroy them (NEVER leave them behind).

6. When ordering new checks, never have them mailed to you...always pick them up at the bank.