Identity thieves are getting more sophisticated every day. They can steal your mail, get your personal information through e-mail or by phone, capture information on a data storage device, take your purse, rummage through your trash, get your credit report through unauthorized access; the list just keeps getting longer. Once they have your information, they use your name, Social Security number, credit card number, or other personal information to commit fraud or theft. They might:

* Run up charges on your credit card accounts
* Open new credit accounts or cellular phone service using your name
* Open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on it
* Create counterfeit checks or credit or debit cards, or authorize electronic transfers in your name, and drain your bank account
* Buy a car by taking out an auto loan in your name
* Get identification such as a driver’s license issued with their picture in your name
* Call your credit card issuer to change the billing address on your account. The impostor then runs up charges on your account. Because the bills are being sent to a different address, it may be some time before you realize there’s a problem.

Problems that result, such as unpaid bills, are reported on your credit report.

Identity thieves steal your personal information to commit fraud. They can damage your credit status and cost you time and money restoring your good name. To reduce your risk of becoming a victim, follow the tips below:

Tips for Preventing Identity Loss

* Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write it on your checks. Only give out your SSN when absolutely necessary.
* Protect your PIN. Never write a PIN on a credit/debit card or on a slip of paper kept in your wallet.
* Watch out for “shoulder surfers”. Use your free hand to shield the keypad when using pay phones and ATMs.
* Collect mail promptly. Ask the post office to put your mail on hold when you are away from home for more than a day or two.
* Pay attention to your billing cycles. If bills or financial statements are late, contact the sender.
* Keep your receipts. Ask for carbons and incorrect charge slips as well. Promptly compare receipts with account statements. Watch for unauthorized transactions.
* Tear up or shred unwanted receipts, credit offers, account statements, expired cards, etc., to prevent dumpster divers getting your personal information.
* Store personal information in a safe place at home and at work. Don’t leave it lying around.
* Don’t respond to unsolicited requests for personal information in the mail, over the phone or online.
* Install firewalls and virus-detection software on your home computer.
* Check your credit report once a year. Check it more frequently if you suspect someone has gotten access to your account information.

If you suspect or become a victim of identity theft, follow these steps:

* Report it to your financial institution. Call the phone number on your account statement or on the back of your credit or debit card.
* Report the fraud to your local police. Keep a copy of the police report, which will make it easier to prove your case to creditors and retailers.
* Contact the credit-reporting bureaus and ask them to flag your account with a fraud alert, whch asks merchants not to grant new credit without your approval.