Identity Theft

In today's world, one way for an identity to be stolen is through that person's social security number. With our advanced society that is so fast paced, it has become a trend for new parents to apply for a social security number for their child when they are born, thinking that they are helping their child's future. Yet it is through those same actions that they are doing creating the exact opposite result. It isn't necessary for a newborn child to receive a social security number. A social security number is necessary for those seeking employment, needing social assistance or other types of government funding - none of which are necessary for children to receive. When a young child has received a social security number, they have unfortunately become an easy target for identity stealing thieves who love these social security numbers as they usually go unmonitored for many, many years..

A report was released in 2006 stating that in America an average of 5 percent of all identity theft victims were children under the age of 18 years. That means that over 50,000 children a year become victims of identity theft. Thieves are finding it easier than ever to commit fraud using a child's identity since children normally don't have a credit history nor will they need to use their credit until they enter into post secondary education at the earliest.

When a child's identity is stolen, the thieves can use this information for a greater reduction on their taxes, to receive expensive hospital procedures and apply for credit cards with no intention of paying these bills. When a child's social security number is received, it must be kept in a safe place; otherwise the child's identity could be at risk.

There are ways to protect your child and their future credit history. If you have secured a social security number for your child, be careful about which institutions you give your child's social security number to. There are various organizations that will need to retain your children's personal information for their files. Doctor offices, schools and daycare centers all routinely ask for copies of a child's birth certificate. As a parent is it up to you to determine if it is really necessary for these organizations to have this information. While some organizations, like the doctor's office, may actually need to be provided with this information, as a parent it is your right to ask how they dispose of and store all patient information.

Finding lost or discarded information is fairly easy. Dumpster diving is one way that identity thieves retrieve their information. It is important that you ensure that all forms where you write your child's social security number on are properly discarded - as in shredding - and not just thrown into a garbage bin crumpled up. You can do this by asking how that company discards personal information. It is estimated that roughly one quarter of all child identity thefts occur when a dishonest employee snoops in files they aren't authorized to view at their place of work. The fewer places your child's information is recorded the safer your child is.

Do not give out your child's personal information to family or close friends unless it is absolutely necessary. It has happened where in many child identity theft cases a child's credit has been ruined by a close friend or relative who were able to access the social security number or other information of a child. Only parents or legal guardians need to know a child's social security number once it has been received.

One very important step to take towards safeguarding a child's identity is to teach your child about the dangers of giving out personal information. It is especially important to teach your child about the dangers of the internet and how to protect yourself from hidden dangers. Teach your child not to use their personal information on-line, specifically on social networking sites where they ask for information such as birth date, address, and phone numbers. Make sure that you regularly check your child's profile on these sites in order to monitor what type of information your child is making public. There are many child friendly sites available to children where they can meet new friends and not have the opportunity to give out this information.

Teach your child how to protect their personal information on a daily basis. As your child gets older it is important to teach them how important it is to always be aware of their 'stuff'. Wallets, purses and even cell phones can provide identity thieves with ready access to all types of personal information. Make sure your child is ready for this responsibility before they are allowed to carry these items out in public.

Check your children's credit reports annually when you check your own.

Each year all the major credit agencies will allow people to obtain one free credit report. When you check your credit, you should also attempt obtain a free credit report for each of your children if they have social security numbers. If everything is normal, your child's report should be blank. It is also important to be aware that if your child begins to receive credit card offers in the mail it is a signal that their identity could have been compromised. If that happens, check their credit report immediately.

When it comes to identity theft, it is important to be aware that it is not only your identity that can be compromised but also your child's. With smaller children it is your responsibility to protect their personal information from being used illegally. As your child gets older, it is essential that you begin to teach your child how to protect themselves from identity thieves. It is our job as parents to teach our children the necessary skills for them to become successful adults, and learning how to protect their identity is one of these important skills. It's never too early to begin protecting your children's identity, in fact, you should begin today or better yet, right now.

Rocky Bailey is an identity theft specialist who is passionate about educating consumers regarding the dangers of identity theft. He hopes you will take the time to learn more about identity theft protection at http://www.identitytheftlabs.com/ and start protecting your family today.

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When you think of an ID thief you might think of someone stealing mail from your mail box, sneaking around an ATM, or perhaps lurking online seeking an opportunity to steal your identity. But what if I told you that an ID thief could actually be your housekeeper, a clerk, your neighbor, or anyone that has access to your personal information or home? There have been cases where babysitters have been arrested for ID theft. The very person you trust may not be trustworthy. It's a good idea not to prejudge. With ID theft being a major problem, it is a good idea to safeguard your mail and personal information even in your home. Keep your mail and personal information away from shared areas where you receive outside guest in your home. While your focus is on the outside of your home, the ID thief could be sitting on your sofa lurking through your personal information that's being displayed on your coffee table.

The elderly and handicapped in my opinion are especially vulnerable. They are often relying on the services of others that could predispose them to increased risk. Sometimes it is a necessity to have various helpers coming in that have next to no supervision. It is my opinion, and I share this opinion with many, that some type of ID protection bundled in with all the other services they depend upon daily, has become a necessity. The elderly and handicapped, like the general population, have to keep a clean identity so they can continue to qualify for the various programs they may be utilizing. Having a comprised identity could be absolutely devastating to someone who couldn't qualify for a needed benefit or service because of an identity theft situation. Having an ID theft policy is like having insurance that will not necessarily prevent ID theft, but will provide some peace of mind that someone is monitoring. Identity protection companies will help protect you against ID theft, and also help you recover your good name should you become a victim.

Children are also becoming an increasing target for ID theft. The ID thief could be someone here illegally seeking a social security number to obtain work. Or it could even be someone using a child's social security number to obtain a drivers license after their own has been suspended. There are not many parents that monitor their children's identity, and thieves take advantage of this. There have been cases where young people were unable to secure college loans because someone had compromised their identity. Having an experienced attorney to help you restore your credit may also be necessary. The benefit of subscribing to an ID theft prevention service is definitely cheaper in a lot of cases than becoming a victim of identity theft. Even though someone monitors your credit report, it does not guarantee that you will never become a victim. It does however give you some assurance that you have a tool in place to minimize your exposure, because in today's world it has become a necessity to monitor your credit.

This article cannot be published without full author's details.

Joyce McKnight is a published internet author, and an advocate for consumer awareness. To learn more about identity theft see http://www.idtheftsolutionblog.blogspot.com/.

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There are several crimes that carry the stigma of making a person feel violated; one such crime is that of identity theft. The good news is that identity theft is dealt with on a much harsher level then what it was when the crime came to such wide public notice. However, that still does not make dealing with the repercussions any easier for the victim for identity theft. Although the seriousness of the crime is not taken as lightly as it once was, the aftermath can still have devastating consequences. So the obvious question becomes how do you deal with the aftermath and how do you keep it from happening again.

The first place to begin when dealing with identity theft is to take a complete inventory of exactly what damage has been done. Of course by the time you get to the end of the actual ordeal you should have a good idea of what you're looking at when it comes to the amount of damage to your credit and reputation. The most obvious tool you will need is a statement from the District Attorney that is handling your case. This way you can send notice to creditors and others to let them know what has taken place so the damage can be isolated from what you are actually responsible for.

The next step you will want to take is to notify the Social Security Offices that your Social Security number has been compromised. By letting Social Security know it's highly possible to have a new number issued and the old one cancelled to avoid further complications or damage to your credit. Of course you will want to set up several safety precautions to prevent the possibility of future identity theft.

A few safety precautions that you will want to take are, of course, pin codes. Be certain you don't make the pin numbers too easy to figure out or any number that is easily found by others. However, should you have to give your pin number to someone be certain to change it as soon as possible to avoid an issue later.

Passwords are also a good way to prevent these types of issues. There is one key factor; when asked for your mother's maiden name why not use her middle name, this is much harder for someone to find. Of course make certain to shred information that has account numbers, never throw statements away, at the least black out the numbers so they are unreadable. The best precaution possible is that if given the option for a card with a photo on it be sure to take the option, this definitely helps avoid the possibility of theft.

Joann Carlisle is a writer who enjoys sharing her knowledge and advice with readers. For more on identity theft, Moneyed Up offers readers tips for protecting themselves from identity theft.

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Identity theft is becoming a popular crime in the United States. Cases usually involve names, addresses, bank account information, credit card information, and so on. About 10 million Americans have encountered these problems. This is why the Federal Trade Commission has reminded people to be on guard all the time.

Once someone has stolen your identity, they will take over your financial identity. Usually, this includes spending your money without you knowing. For instance, if a thief steals your credit card information, he/she may make a lot of purchases that will be charged on you. Worse cases of identity theft involve anonymous people making loans and opening bank accounts using your name without again without you knowing. It could get even worse.

So how do you defend yourself from such unscrupulous criminals?

Authorities say that you, like anyone else, are not safe from identity theft. So, authorities have devised certain tactics to lessen your likelihood of becoming an identity theft victim.

1. Hide your social security number. It is difficult to memorize phone numbers, bank account numbers, passwords and social security numbers that sometimes we choose to write them down on a piece of paper. However, when you do so, you become vulnerable to identity theft. What if you leave that number on your table or you drop it somewhere on your way home?

2. Make sure that you sign out your e-mail even when you are at home and most especially when you are using the internet outside. It is extremely careless and irresponsible to leave your email account open when you leave. This is not necessarily an act of paranoia but of precaution. Have you heard of people who could no longer access their emails because they accidentally left them open? There have been several cases and even the worse could happen. Log out your Facebook or Twitter accounts, too, when you leave your desk.

3. Do not throw your credit card and bank statements anywhere, because they contain some personal information. The safest way to dispose of them is by using a shredder.

4. Do not give your personal information right away. There will be instances where you receive phone calls, text messages, or emails from people you do not know, and they may be telling you about special offers and promos. If they ask for your personal information, do not respond. You have to be smart and alert all the time.

5. Protect your PC by making sure that it is updated. Update your antivirus software program as well. This will protect you from cyber attacks. Beware when downloading files or installing programs, because some of them could include spywares. Another way to protect your computer is to use a password that only you know.

6. Have photocopies of your credit cards and store them in a safe, locked place in your home. If your wallet gets stolen, you should cancel all your credit and debit cards right away. Canceling them would be fast if you provide the needed information without a hassle. In case your credit or debit card gets lost, you must inform your bank immediately.

7. It is also recommended that you double-check your credit report to see if there is any strange activity. Contact the bank and the authorities if you see anything suspicious, like purchases that you do not remember making but appearing on the report.

8. Change the passwords of your email, social media, and online banking accounts regularly. Make sure your passwords are not easy to guess.

For more information about identity theft, click here or visit our website, http://www.safeidentityprotection.com/.

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Identity theft is a growing problem that victimises thousands of people worldwide on a daily basis. Valuable information that is written on documents including credit card information, national insurance numbers and bank account and routing information, can be stolen out of the bin or recycling by savvy and determined thieves. Many people mistakenly assume that merely blacking out important numbers is enough to deter identity thieves. Unfortunately this is not the case.

Sophisticated thieves do not need a complete set of information in order to steal a persons' identity. Sometimes a name and parts of an address or a few old phone numbers are enough to create a new persona, including credit cards issued in the name of the person whose identity was stolen. Documents that otherwise seem innocuous, like a national insurance and tax id numbers can be used to create new documents that help steal identity. The more little pieces of information a thief has, such as past employers and hospital of birth or an old passport or driver's license photo with a name on it, can be enough information to cause millions of dollars of debt and years of grief for the victim. This is why people and businesses often turn to a shredding service to help them deal with the large volume of material they need to shred.

The best thing to do is to shred all documents will all identifying information, no matter how innocent the information may seem. This can add up to thousands of pages of documents a week, which is no easy task for a small shredder.

Additionally, computer disks, including DVDs and CD's can contain private information that cannot be erased. Only a commercial shredder can handle harder material such as this. Commercial shredders are able to shred clothes, large volumes of paper, plastics, and many other materials that smaller domestic and office shredders cannot handle. Even credit cards can slow down domestic and office shredders. A shredding service has large shredders that are capable of handling large volumes of heavy material without slowing down.

A reputable shredding service can help any home or office prevent identity theft and important information from getting into the wrong hands. Hiring an outside service also saves time and money in the long run. In addition to saving money and time spent tracking down and stopping identity thieves, an outside service saves time and money over using a small shredder for large volumes. A shredder can uses large amounts of energy every year. This cost is greatly increased when the machine is taxed by using it at a much higher volume that it was designed for. Much of this cost can be saved by hiring an outside company to provide this service for a home or business.

Jennifer is a business consultant and has worked with different companies in her career. She thinks that it is important for businesses to dispose of private documents through a shredding service to protect information. For more details, please visit The Shredding Alliance.

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Identity thieves have gotten quite sophisticated over the years. As reported by IBM's X-Force Trend and Risk Report fraudulent emails rerouting consumers to a bogus site also known as phishing is rising. It does not stop there however. There has been a surge in online server break ins. Not surprisingly the same is true for mobile phones given that many people have gotten rid of the traditional land line and are now using their cell exclusively.

Whichever sort of phone someone uses identity thieves have a scam for it. And it's not like they have to break into it either. Speaking with you directly often produces the best results simply because it works on a number of emotions not to mention the immediacy of the issue. Some of these are

1. You Owe The Internal Revenue Service

Very few things can scare you like getting a call from the Internal Revenue Service. The scammer states that something was wrong with your tax information from this year or previous ones. In order to stop an audit, a severe fiscal fine or even going to prison it is critical that you cooperate with this fake representative.

They take the gamble that after giving you this spiel that you will be to shook up to do anything else. So you begin to provide the maximum amount of private information as is possible.

2. Jury Duty

A bench warrant has been issued for your arrest. You had jury duty on whatever day and failed to appear. Saying you never got a summons of any sort doesn't work. The sheriff's office is on the way. they ask to verify some information. After doing that they state that they will verify everything is correct and get back to you.

3. The Process Servers

This could be by means of a subpoena or an alleged debt. Like the IRS and jury duty scam, the thief can be quite demanding. This notice has to be delivered to you immediately so they need to check the home address and ensure you will be there. To your temporary relief the home address doesn't match what's on their records and so they decide to verify the social security number.

4. Congratulations You Won

It's an ancient con however it can still get the job done. Especially on senior citizens considered to be one of the segments most targeted by identity thieves. You have won a sweepstakes of some kind. The award will be sent to you right away but first the "agent" will need you to provide answers to the following questions.

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The good news is identity theft over the past few years has decreased. But the fact of the matter is it still tops the list as the number one consumer complaint.

There's a lot of information going around when it comes to this criminal offense as well as a number of misconceptions which if you are not careful can have you moving in the wrong direction.

1. Safeguarding Your Social Security Number Is All You Have To Do

You will see this on the local and national news a lot. More than a few professionals may say this is all you have to do when it comes to guarding your identity. Regrettably that's not true. The reality is your identity can easily be stolen in a variety of ways without thieves even bothering your social security card. Among them is stealing your mail, shoulder surfing, setting up a skimming device at an ATM machine or just going through your trash also known as dumpster diving.

2. Any Fraudulent Charges Are Your Responsibility

Do not allow any company to force you into paying anything if you were the victim of identity theft. It is not your responsibility to pay any fraudulent charges thieves have put on your account. You will discover debt collectors do not care about that. They want the money and they want it now. No problem. As long as you remember you aren't the one doing the payback.

3. It Won't Happen To You

Famous last words. No doubt at one time or another many people who were victimized said the exact same thing. Identity theft spares no one. While it may be on the decline eight million people last year still had their identities stolen. Considering that the number usually hover around ten million as well as the alarming number of ways thieves can pilfer your information and there is little doubt identity theft can happen to you.

4. The Majority of People That Steal Your Identity Get Arrested

Since law enforcement and financial institutions have been more aggressive in dealing with identity theft you figure the arrest rate would be pretty good. Think again. According to studies done by the Gartner Group roughly 1 out of 700 people ever gets caught. No doubt you have seen news reports of law enforcement officials cracking a major fraud ring. This is true but day to day identity theft generally goes undetected let alone prosecuted.

5. Most Identity Theft Criminals Are Strangers To The Victim

Not true and this in many ways is what makes identity theft the epidemic that it is. Most thieves are someone the victim knows. A neighbor, friend, coworker, but mostly a family member. Which should give you a pretty good hint as to why many identity thieves never get thrown in jail. As bad as it is along with the damage done many people that have been victimized refuse to take the next step of preferring charges against their friends and/or loved ones.

To find out more on identity theft and fraud visit identity theft information

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Identity theft is an ever-increasing issue given the sheer amount of people who are having financial difficulties due to the worldwide financial crisis. You can only protect yourself against identity theft, do not leave it up to anyone else to help you.

There are some basic measures we can all take to reduce the risk. The first of which I would suggest would be two have two separate email addresses, one for your financial business, and the other for everything else.

So your online banking, PayPal, your accountant and just about anything you buy online, you should use your financial email address. Use a very difficult password with a minimum of 10 characters including capitals and symbols and don't give this email address out to anyone else. The reason we include any purchases in this email is that you are giving your financial information away to these sites included card numbers and pertinently, your address.

Use the email address only for your financial transactions and never give it even to friends. Use your other email address for everything else.

It's fairly obvious why you wouldn't want people getting hold of your bank details or card number, but the reasons run a little deeper as to why we wouldn't want people accessing this email address. If they guessed your password what would they have access to? A few online purchase receipts (with your address on), details of your PayPal account which they can access to withdraw cash to themselves, your online banking login details? You might think "Well just because someone can access my email doesn't mean they could access your PayPal or online banking accounts" and you would only be partly correct. All they need is access to your email address and they could request a new password be sent. Bang! You're in trouble.

If you have to write down the password and place it in your purse or wallet do so, it's better than making it an easy password to guess or hack.

This has been really focussed on fraud, but there is another, more insidious factor, we need to bear in mind. That factor is identity theft.

Identity theft, to my mind, is worse than fraud. Yes fraud involves stealing your own assets, but identity theft runs deeper than that, they steal your identity and take out loans and credit cards in your name. When the lender comes calling, they are going to be calling the named lender, you! This can not only hurt you financially, but can also affect your future ability to lend, your reputation and your health.

You are particularly susceptible if you create relationships online, i.e. from dating or from social networking. The whole process is ripe for identity theft, it is all about getting to know someone so you can give out very personal information during the course of the chat. For example, they want to know how old you are, you tell them because it's one of those things that come up a lot. But let's take the conversation further:

"What star sign are you?" "Wow I'm Virgo too, when's your birthday?" It all seems innocuous enough, but if you tell them, they combine it with your age and they have your date of birth as easily as that.

Let's go back to the earlier example of them accessing your email. If you have one email address and you give it out, to exchange photos or something (or bear in mind how much information you show on Facebook) they can go to your email provider and pick the option that you have forgotten your password, they can they find out what your security question is and either find the answer by searching through Facebook or directly asking you. As an example, the security question might be your first pets name. They then might start asking questions about your past. "Where were you born?" "Do you have any brothers?" "Were you a happy child" "Did you have any pets?" and before you know it you're discussing fluffy your first rabbit and how it got stuck in your boots. They can then close the conversation, go to your email account and unblock your inbox.

So they have your date of birth and access to your email account, all they need to do is login, find the receipt for the table you bought a week ago and BAM they have your address. And all they have had to do is ask a few questions, ones that are asked every day, very innocuous.

Let's go back to the conversation. They have asked where you were born. In the UK the only information someone needs in order to get a real copy of your birth certificate is your name, town of birth and date of birth. With your birth certificate they have the basis of your whole life.

Where else can someone get your address? Are you on an online directory? Like for example is your phone number listed? The electoral role? Can they search your surname and area and find you?

If you are going to meet someone, do it in a public place, don't show them pictures of your house or your car, all these things can be traced.

Once someone has your address you are open to having your whole life destroyed.

They can apply for loans, credit cards in your name, they could also change your address at your bank although this makes it more likely they will be caught. But if someone has your address and date of birth, and takes out a loan in your name using your credit history by telling them you have recently moved address. Of course this means that the lender will come to you on the first default, also your future credit options will be limited.

Even without your address, if they have your date of birth and birth town it doesn't take much more to get your birth certificate which in some respects can be used to prove your identity. Let's say they want to open a basic bank account in your name, they can take out an electricity account in your name with no ID requirements, when you get your first bill, this can be used as proof of your address, with that, along with your birth certificate, they can open a basic bank account with no credit facility. But after a bit of time they can easily use your electricity bill, bank account statement and birth certificate to take out a contract phone in your name giving them a credit file and history. After a bit of time they can use this credit file to take an overdraft and/or loan in your name, even a mortgage. They can also use your bills to apply for a replacement driving license in your name.

It's surprisingly easy to do all the above simply by knowing your date of birth and address, or in the US your social security number.

So you have to protect yourself. Start off by saving your important emails to your computer and deleting them from your email account. Open a new email account and protect it with a top notch password. Further protect it with a security question that is unusual, one that might cause you to question it if it comes up in conversation. If all the questions are easy then substitute the real answer with one that you will remember that's incorrect, i.e. Mothers maiden name: table.

Be very careful what personal information you give out during normal conversation, it might be a good idea to train yourself to re-read anything you write before you click send.

Be aware also that even your nearest and dearest can steal your identity. I once investigated a case for a woman who's best friend had stolen her identity. In cases like this, I would suggest signing up with a credit reference agency who will be able to email you whenever a change to your file has been logged.

Finally, how do we rectify identity theft? Well if you are in the US, you can call the Federal trade commission on 1-877-IDTHEFT and the IRS on 1-800-908-4490. You should also report it to the Internet Crime Complaint Center. If in the UK, report it to the police first and foremost, then contact the lenders and give them the crime reference number. Keep a close eye on your credit report and deal with issues as they arise. Give your crime reference number to your bank and any lenders you have. Any company part of the finance act has guidelines on how to assist in these circumstances and they will be able to provide you with further information and support.

Phishing websites.

Phishing is the practise of someone getting you to reveal your bank account (or other account) details by way of a form that looks just like the real thing. Most of these scams are done through emails and you will receive it from a legitimate looking address, it might tell you that there is a problem with your account and you should click the link to get it unblocked. The email looks genuine, the link looks genuine and the page it takes you to looks genuine. The way to always stop these in their tracks is to hover over the genuine looking link and read the actual destination link that pops up in a small box, this is the actual destination rather than what is actually typed in the email. Is this destination address taking you through to the right place? If not, delete it. An example destination address might read paypall.com and you might miss the extra L if you wasn't specifically looking for it.

Most financial institutions have a fraud department dedicated to investigating these matters so you can always forward on the email to the company it is purported to have come from. As an example, there was a recent story that the HMRC (British version of the IRS) were sending out tax refunds to people, the stories were correct, but phishers were sending emails to people asking them to log onto a fake online form where they could collect the details. Once I read it and seen it wasn't genuine I forwarded this straight to the HMRC fraud department. Whether anything comes of it they don't say but I hope they catch the culprits.

Dave P Thompson is a security expert of high regard. Dave operates the highly successful ScamSeeker.org website offering free investigative services to anyone.

Also stars as a public speaker dealing with consumer security protection, offering advice on identity theft, phishing and fraud.

To learn more, please visit ScamSeeker.org

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These days most of us are aware of the need to prevent identity theft from messing our lives up in a big way.

So what do we do? Some may shrink from participating in modern life. They may refuse to use the internet, and deny themselves all of its benefits, through fear of having their ID stolen. They may try to live without credit so they do not have to give out their personal information.

Living that way may indeed reduce the chances of being a victim of identity fraud, but would certainly restrict their lifestyle choices.

Others may believe that it "only happens to the other guy." They live their life without taking the trouble to safeguard personal information and therefore put themselves at risk.

Neither of those two attitudes is the way to go. To enjoy the advantages of modern living you have to disclose sensitive information at times, you can't avoid it. On the other hand, being careless about your personal details only increases the chances of becoming a victim of fraud.

To do all that you can to prevent identity theft happening to you, without giving up living, you need to be aware of all the ways crooks could obtain access to your personal data. Then ensure that you take all reasonable steps to stop that happening.

Even in this electronic age criminals still go dumpster diving and sorting through trash, hoping to find juicy snippets of private info they can use. We accumulate so many documents, letters and forms containing personal details that we simply have to throw some out. Before we do however, we should take the precaution of shredding them, using a shredder that cross cuts and so reduces the documents to confetti.

How about your mailbox? Is it secure, can it be locked up so as to deny thieves easy access to your mail?

Phishing emails and phone calls are a constant threat. The email may look genuine or the phone call may sound convincing, but would your bank or credit supplier request details from you that they already have? No, if you think there is a chance the request is genuine, then pick up your phone and call them to find if they really sent the email or made the call.

Prevent identity theft online by keeping your security software and firewall up to date, you do have those, right? And never log on without your virus protection is running. It is also wise to always use the latest version of your browser.

How about the passwords that you use online? The longer the password that you choose, the more secure it is. If it is possible to do so, use a good mix of lower and upper case letters along with numbers and other characters. Never use real names, birth dates, names of pets etc. Change passwords frequently and do not use the same one for each site.

Enjoy social networking, but do be careful about what you post on your updates. A small piece of personal info here and there could give away a lot about your ID.

Be very cautious when using Automatic Teller Machines. If there is anything fishy, anything that does not seem right about the cash machine, don't use it. If there is anyone unnaturally hanging around, then find another ATM to use.

Doing all of the above will go a long way to prevent identity theft impacting your life. Remember also to check bank and credit statements frequently. If you spot something amiss, report it immediately.

Find out more about Identity Theft Prevention.

Martin Underwood writes about all aspects of home, personal and vehicle security. Read what he has to say about Medical Identity Theft.

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Credit report monitoring has become an important aspect in the lives of many people today. It is regarded as an essential service to have to help ensure protection from identity thieves. These days, perpetrators of identity theft are seldom caught by the authorities. With technology giving them the ability to conduct their illegal business, they can continue conducting their unlawful acts and victimize more people each year. But this same technology can also be used to thwart these criminals. To protect oneself, he has to properly monitor his accounts through services designed to detect suspicious activities. By doing this, he can protect himself from the grave consequences of identity theft.

Getting adequate protection from ID theft is the best defense to stay safe. Through a service that provides monitoring, consumers can take advantage of effective procedures implemented to keep identities away from the hands of thieves. As of recently, a lot of people have already benefited from these services. These specific programs have been instrumental in monitoring the personal credit files of each customer. More importantly, the emergence of these services has protected people from attempts that were made to steal their identities. Some others have been given assistance after they have fallen victims to identity thieves while enrolled in the program. These show the benefits of having such services.

The advantages of getting a credit report monitoring service

Companies that offer protection for identities give consumers a number of benefits. In addition to getting the best service to monitor credit reports, anybody who subscribes to these services can look forward to obtaining certain benefits. One of them is a comprehensive credit report. One's credit report is a highly essential document. It is his ticket to getting services that give him the most privileges. When this is compromised, he loses the benefits attached to having good credit. Therefore, it is crucial that this document be monitored to ensure that there is no illegal movement going on that will put one's identity in trouble.

Another advantage is getting identity insurance. With a good program, a subscriber can take advantage of insurance that will provide assistance to its members who have become identity theft victims. This is usually through done through financial resources that will cover lost income, attorney fees, as well as other expenses related with the restoration of their identities. Along with this service must come identity reestablishment to help them get their credit ratings to good standing.

With an identity theft protection program that offers credit report monitoring service, one is able to access various important files. People who have subscribed to these programs are given easy accessibility to files that are important in monitoring their accounts. With some plans, a member is able to get full access to these documents. Through this, he can easily assess the activities that are going on, specifically the movements that have transpired for any given period. This allows easy detection for any unauthorized changes. Therefore, it is a wise move to have such a service as it works to help enhance security for one's identity.

Credit report monitoring services are incredibly vital in preserving the protection of your identification. By way of the best credit monitoring service, you can benefit from features like identity theft protection provided by companies such as lifelock and TrustedID.

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Reporting Identity Theft is no joke; it's a crime which has seen a rise in recent years and has actually destroyed the lives of tens of thousands. Seeing as how we are now living in a world dominated by technology which allows us to manipulate reality through a virtual interface (such as one can do with computers, for example) it comes as no surprise that more and more people have their identities stolen every day; the technological progress only makes it easier for the criminals.

Reporting ID theft as fast as possible is possibly the most important course of action you will undertake if you are ever a victim of it, or even if you are only a witness. Reporting identity theft in a prompt manner will ensure that the thief can no longer do any damage to or your reputation. For those of you unfamiliar with what exactly this crime is or still unsure of why reporting identity theft is so important, bear in mind that an ID thief basically steals vital information about other people which he can then use to open credit accounts and even take out bank loans, all of it under someone else's name. The information that can be stolen includes (but is not limited to) your social security number, medical information, drivers license as well as any personal details that you use to prove your identity.

If you still see no reason for reporting identity theft, then you are rolling the dice that nothing is going to happen. While it is true that there are some safeguards in place in order to protect people from such a crime, it would be a lie to say that they are always 100% effective, seeing as how people are reporting identity theft cases more frequently than before. In many cases, credit companies will simply give an application the stamp of approval without performing any investigation on the applicant.

If you want protection from ID theft chances are you will have to take some measures of your own, and most important of all, stay aware of any activity on your accounts so that you can start reporting identity theft soon after it happens. Naturally, the steps related to reporting identity theft are quite simple. The first thing you need to take care of is to contact the fraud departments of your banks and credit bureaus to let them know what's going on.

Once they identify you as a victim of ID theft your file will be put on fraud alert. After you are done reporting identity theft to the proper authorities, you should order credit report copies pertinent to your name to see if any additional credit accounts have been opened by the criminal. If you do find that unfortunately additional credit accounts have been opened under your name, you are going to have to start reporting identity theft to all your creditors. Insist on talking with the fraud department, and make sure you also send a certified letter after the call, seeing as how protection procedures require for problem-solving to be done by writing. Finally, the last step to reporting identity theft is to come into contact with the local authorities so that you can file a report with them. This is mostly to have proof should any of your creditors ask for it.

Carl Clifford is a well respected Legal and Identity Theft Specialist who's been consistantly up to date on knowledge in the arena of Identity Theft Protection for individuals, families and companies since 2000. To claim a F-R-E-E copy of Insider Secrets on how to protect your Identity go to his website now. http://www.7idtheftsecrets.com/

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Uses of the internet have increased tremendously in recent times. People use the internet for sharing information, learning, communicating, and doing business. There are also some people using the internet as a resource to steal your identity. This is why every internet user needs to protect his or her personal information against identity theft. There are several things you should do to protect yourself against identity theft online.

Firstly, guard your online information. Use very strong passwords which should be very hard for anyone to guess. You should also not use one password for every website you use. Never write your password down or save it in a document in your computer. Your passwords should not be your birth date, your family member's name or your pet's name. Instead use unrelated words with numbers and symbols.

The second thing you can do to protect yourself from identity theft online is shred sensitive documents. Many people just fold or tear apart vital documents into several pieces. An identity thief can easily put those papers together and read your personal information. Shredding outdated bank statements, credit card applications and bills before dumping it into trash or recycling will make it very hard for a thief to put the papers back together. In fact it is almost impossible.

You should be aware of phishing. In phishing, an identity thief pretending to be personnel of a famous or loyal company sends an email telling you that you have won some money. The email usually contains a link where you will be directed to fill personal information online. To avoid falling for this, never verify personal information online before researching for the company in question. In your search you can include the word scam and several results relating to scams in the name of the company in question will display. Go through the search results and learn how other people have dealt with it.

Identity theft protection services can also help you to protect yourself from online identity theft. Most of the companies that offer these services, submit fraud alert on your behalf to avoid identity thieves from opening new lines of credit. Some companies also search through the internet for you, to make sure that nobody is using your credit card and social security numbers. Some of the most famous companies include: Identity Guard, Trusted ID and Equifax ID.

The law puts you at liberty to get a free copy of your credit report every year upon your request. You should go through the report keenly, checking on the accuracy to make sure that you can account for each line of credit. It is recommended that you check your credit reports at least three times in a year. Apart from the free copy that you are entitled to; you can purchase the reports from the major credit bureau, that is, Equifax, Experian or Trans Union.

Another important thing you should do to protect yourself from identity theft online, is to secure your computer. Make sure that your antivirus software is updated regularly. This makes a barrier between your trusted networks and untrusted networks which might be trying to access your computer. In addition to that, your mobile devices like smart phones or iPads, should be secured with strong passwords just in case they get lost.

Identity Theft is something to really watch out. Learn how to protect against identity theft

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Identity theft is a heightening concern for many of us.

Spotlighted regularly on the news and shows like Dateline, identity theft is a particularly frightful subject and could cause the victim all types of emotional pain and monetary trouble. For this reason it is very important to know how to protect identity theft from affecting you.

This kind of theft can happen by countless techniques such as someone using your Social Security, checks, cards, driver's license and much more.

Fortunately, there are lots of things you can do to protect identity theft from hurting your life.

Documents are the most serious problem for most people. Stopping document theft all circles around how you handle and dispose of those documents.

From bank records to hospital bills, you get mail consistently that is always full of your private info. You would think in this computer dominated world, they could ultimately put a stop to all of these paper bills and documents and just send you everything electronically. However, that would not come about for quite some time.

Though you could contact your financial institutions yourself to do so, as that is one great thing to add to your list of how to protect from identity theft through the mail.

Another tip on how to protect from identity theft is to make sure you rip up or shred anything with your information on it.

Using a shredder might be easier for you as constantly ripping by hand may be a problem. Once shredded, make sure it is not visible in your trash bag.

Besides documents, there are several more tips on how to protect identity theft from entering your life that should generally be known, but can often be overlooked.

For example, you should be aware that checks definitely make it easy to take your money. When you're out you should never bring your social security card, birth certificate or checkbook. They not only have your private info, but they also have your checking account number and routing number right on them.

Some folks even put their Social Security ID right there on the check! Don't do that. This is definitely not how you protect from identity theft. In fact you'd be kind of inviting it, and the check with the social security on it is the invitation.

Using your common sense and information can go a long way in safeguarding yourself. Be conscious of these things, and keep your identity safe.

Rebecca Jones has dedicated her life to helping people improve their financial lives, as well as to show you how to protect identity theft from hurting you and your loved ones. To get exclusive info you won't find anywhere else, visit http://howprotectidentitytheft.com/

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The crime identity theft has been growing at an alarming rate making more and more people victims of this crime. Professional thieves are stealing people's valuable information like social security number, bank account password, credit card information, insurance numbers and other personal information keeping people in the dark. Though many people are taking preventive measures to stop it but all their efforts are going in vane in most of the cases as the thieves are out thinking them.

Nowadays thieves are smart enough to create a new identity of a person without obtaining his full identity. They don't need the full information, only a portion of information will do for them. Even personal documents like tax ID, national ID, driving license, outdated passport, previous employment history, birth registration etc. which seem not to be important, can also be used to steal your identity. Identity thieves use people's identity to open new credit card, take bank loans, obtain government and employment benefits, use health benefits and commit crime. All these might ruin your cash and goodwill. Here comes the necessity of shredding service to deal with the huge amount of information to deal with. People often rush to shredding services to help them shred their junk of information to prevent identity theft.

Whenever you seek the help of a shredding service, provide them with all information regardless importance. Remember thieves don't need the whole information; they can counterfeit your ID with minimum information. While choosing a shredding service it is wise to choose a commercial and professional shredder instead of small shredder. You may have vast documents containing valuable information which need to be shredded. Small shredder can't deal with such big amount of documents. Besides, only professional shredders can handle harder materials such as computer discs, plastics, DVDs, clothes etc. Small shredder might take too much time in handling things.

Commercial shredding service not only helps you in dealing with hue junk of documents but also saves your time and money. There is a saying, 'Time is money.' As the small shredder takes more time it costs you more. On the other hand a reputable shredder can shred your documents within very short time and prevent your identity from being stolen. Shredding machine usually requires large amount of energy. If you buy one machine to shred your documents, it will cost you some big cash. You may not use it regularly. So it is better to hire a commercial shredding company to shred your data.

Do you know the importance of identity theft protection [http://www.bestidentitytheftprotectionreviews.org/]? You may need the best identity theft protection [http://www.bestidentitytheftprotectionreviews.org/] to stop your credit stealing.

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Identity theft is an increasing concern for many, and something that has become even more prevalent over the last few years due to the internet. There are many ways that someone who has stolen your identity can use it against you. This article contains some examples of how people can be caused problems by others stealing their identity.

The most common cases of identity theft are where credit cards or credit card details are stolen. This has become more commonplace due to the internet. With so many people now making purchases online it gives an extra opportunity to criminals wishing to obtain the details of innocent people's credit cards. This has the obvious problem of someone being able to use somebody else's credit card to buy things and withdraw cash, while the credit card owner can get left with the bill. The problem with your details being stolen rather than the physical credit card being stolen is that you are likely to notice soon after your card has gone. If the details are stolen, for example during an online transaction, then you may not realise for a while, while someone else is spending your money.

Some have taken out mortgages and other loans using a stolen identity. Someone who would not otherwise be able to get a loan may use the details of someone in a stronger financial position. This can cause the person who is being imitated being charged for repayments and interest on a loan they haven't taken out. One the other hand, the lender can lose out having already paid out the amount of the loan, although this can often be reclaimed.

It is not just individuals who can be victims of stolen credit cards and credit card details, but businesses as well. If a business accepts a stolen credit card from someone buying goods or services from them then it may mean lost income, as the money might be reclaimed by the credit card company.

Identity theft is not just about money though, people can use others' identity in other ways. One example is to use someone else's passport. This can enable wanted criminals to travel to another country, or illegal immigrant to enter a country by what appears to be legal means.

People have had their driving licence used by somebody else. This has led to people driving illegally. It can also mean someone being fined for speeding when, in fact, they haven't committed the offence.

Another instance of identity crime has been where people have managed to tell the postal services that someone has moved, re-directing mail to their own address. This means receiving their mail, which can have disastrous consequences. This can mean receiving mail that enables them to use their identity for wrongful means.

The above is not by any means an exhaustive list of potential identity theft crimes. There are many other ways that people's identities can be used for wrongful means. The danger of identity theft means that everyone has to be careful to make sure they limit the chances of their identity being stolen.

Andrew Marshall (c)

For advice and help on Identity Theft and online protection visit Know the Net.

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Identity theft is generally considered to be the fastest-growing crime in the United States. The term itself refers to obtaining and using the personal identifying information of another person in order to fraudulently obtain goods and services. Personal identifying information includes things such as your name, date of birth, and Social Security number.

Roughly 700,000 people a year become victims of this crime. However, it is continually on the rise, with thieves employing a wide gamut of tactics from sophisticated online "phishing" scams to low-tech strategies like dumpster-diving. Thus, It is becoming more common - especially since the advent of the information age, when so much vital info about the world - and each other - is practically at our fingertips. That being the case, it goes without saying that practically anyone can become a victim.

The most common form of identity theft is credit card fraud; it is estimated to cost consumers hundreds of millions - some say billions - of dollars per year. Next is utilities fraud, followed by bank fraud. Credit card fraud can be particularly insidious, as you may not discover for quite some time that someone has, for instance, opened a new line of credit in your name and charged thousands of dollars to the account before leaving you stuck with the bill.

There are ways to protect yourself from identity theft. Credit monitoring, for instance, is absolutely critical to identity theft defense. Fortunately, you can obtain a free credit report from each of the three major credit-reporting agencies (Equifax, Experian and TransUnion) annually. Thus, you can get a free copy of your credit report - one from a different credit-reporting agency - every four months. Likewise, regularly checking and balancing your bank account statements will also help you stay abreast of any irregularities that could be indicative of identity theft.

If you are already the victim of identity theft, it can be a long and arduous road getting back to some semblance of normalcy. On average, it is believed that it takes victims of identity theft six months to a year (and sometimes longer) to get matters rectified to some reasonable extent. This includes trying to recover money taken from bank accounts, as well as avoiding liability for goods and services that were never purchased or received (at least by the victim). Unfortunately, there is no sure-fire method to avoid becoming a victim. All you can do is take what precautions you can in order to mount a adequate identity theft defense. Just remember: it's easier to avoid becoming a victim than to recover from being one. In other words, this is truly a case where an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure.

The author runs a blog devoted to identity theft defense and protection: http://www.identitytheftdefensehq.com/

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Due to the increased number of incidents involving identity theft in the last ten years, new tactics are being employed to counter this for both business and residential paper shredding is fast becoming the best way to help keep personal information away from people who may wish to act fraudulently. Shredding, also known as document destruction, helps to keep personal details safe because it quickly tears up paper that may have your address or credit card details on and makes it impossible for anyone to be able to reattach the different pieces and copy down your details. Many families now have a shredder in their home office that is in place to deal with documents containing sensitive information and it is also commonplace to see them in offices.

Shredders come in a range of different sizes and styles and it is possible to pick up a small version quite cheaply that will be more than adequate to deal with your shredding needs at home.It is not just bank statements that people are disposing of either; identity thieves also look for other items containing personal details that you may not have thought of. Simply by looking through the average person's waste paper you are able to find multiple ways in which your identity can be compromised. Identity thieves are on the lookout for anything containing your date of birth and credit or debit card information. Even if you are careful to dispose of bank statements it is still possible to get this information from other sources including monthly statements where you pay by direct debit and this may be all that they need in order to start applying for credit in your name and adversely affecting your credit score. Don't let this happen to you. Act before it is too late.

Increase Your Safety at Home

Recent years have shown that many people are giving more time and consideration towards protecting their home and their personal lives from being targeted by thieves and fraudsters. The age of the internet has meant that there are always new scams that are being devised in order to separate innocent people from their hard-earned cash and they are also becoming more advanced and difficult to spot. There are several ways that you can improve your security in everyday life and keep you protected from being targeted and scammed. The most important step to take is to invest in a residential paper shredding system to enable you to ensure that any personal information is protected by using paper shredding to get rid of old credit card bills and anything else that may contain your personal information. Residential paper shredding systems can be bought form a number of outlets and paper shredding is fast becoming more commonplace in everyday life.You should also take steps to protect yourself when coming into contact with sales people on the telephone.

Unfortunately inconvenient sales calls are a part of our normal life, and most are from genuine companies who are trying to sell you a product or service; however, there are some fraudsters who also use this tactic as a way of getting you to part with your personal information over the telephone. If you have a suspicion that someone you are talking to may be a fraudster trying to obtain your details then it is important to hang up the telephone as soon as possible and avoid giving them any further details. If you need clarification regarding the authenticity of a sales call it can help to use the internet to check whether it is a reputable company or not. You should get enough information first before doing any action.

We individuals generally look with the goodness of the natural environment. As we all know, we are using trees only to have papers that any of us use daily. A small business ecoshred.com takes care of recycling those used papers so they can make brand new ones without cutting trees anymore. In New Jersey, it is easy to find New Jersey paper shredding services because there are lots of paper shredding firms available.

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When your identity is stolen, it can be disastrous. A thief can use your identity to steal money, make purchases, and engage in a number of other illicit activities. Most Americans live constantly in fear of identity theft, yet it is becoming increasingly common for taxpayers to fall victim to tax scams designed to steal their identity.

There is certain information that all taxpayers should keep in mind. With these key facts, taxpayers can ensure that they correctly identify, and avoid, identity theft tax scams.

1. The IRS never communicates by email. First and foremost, remember that the Internal Revenue Service will never communicate with a taxpayer through email. If you ever receive tax-related correspondence in your email inbox - even if it claims urgency or a need for direct payment of supposed tax debt - it is advisable to consider it a scam.

For any suspicious paper correspondence, first contact the IRS first to determine if it is a legitimate correspondence. If it is legitimate, you may reply as needed. However, if it is not legitimate, contact the Treasury Inspector General for Tax Administration.

2. Keep alert for Social Security Number theft. Taxpayers should always carefully monitor, and keep a comprehensive record, of any correspondence with the IRS. Sometimes it may become clear due to the nature of an IRS letter that an identity thief has stolen your Social Security Number.

In particular, these suspicious letters could include alerts pertaining to unpaid taxes related to a job you do not hold. Often an identity thief may appropriate another individuals Social Security Number in order to get a job. This can then make it appear as though the real individual did not declare all of their income on their tax return.

3. Lost or Stolen Possessions. Sometimes standard theft, such as a mugging or home break-in, can make you susceptible to identity theft. This is particularly true if the thief stole a wallet that contained a driver's license or credit cards.

If you think you might be a victim of identity theft, contact the IRS as soon as possible with proof of your identity. Do not wait to receive an inaccurate letter from the IRS. Instead, ensure that the IRS knows the risk and is aware, to avoid you receiving any undue charges. Submit a copy of a valid Federal or State issued identification, or a completed Form 14039, IRS Identity Theft Affidavit.

The Lee Law Firm's tax lawyers have many years of experience in all aspects of IRS debt problems. They have extensive knowledge of unpaid tax debts, back taxes, tax audits, IRS harassment, IRS wage garnishment and IRS penalties. The attorneys at the Lee Law Firm aim to help their clients resolve their tax debt issues and regain financial freedom.

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Many facts about identity theft are now common knowledge. Identity theft has been rising every year for at least a decade, and it has exploded wildly along with the growth of the Internet. Some hackers steal personally identifiable information and then sell it in private forums to other, would-be thieves. Phishing websites collect your personal information to facilitate identity theft, the list goes on.

Yet there are lesser known facts about identity theft that may help shape your plans to prevent it and how to monitor for it.
Many, but not quite a majority, of cases of identity theft involve family members and close friends. Parents have used a child's Social Security Number to get credit cards and even home mortgages after their own credit is shut down. Unfortunately, this ruin's their child's credit just as they are starting their own lives. And many financial institutions won't let the loans be forgiven unless the child presses charges against the relative.
Making up a Social Security Number (SSN) on a credit card application is identity theft as well as fraud. Since credit reporting is based on the Social Security Number, using a false one results in them checking someone else's credit.
Illegal aliens using your Social Security Number are committing identity theft as well as fraud, whether they use your name as well or only your SSN along with their name. This is done to pass background checks and determine if they are legal to work in the United States. Identity theft has also involved American born children of illegal aliens. Once the child has a Social Security Number, the parent uses that SSN to work and apply for credit. Unfortunately, the teenager can discover they now have a long work history and are at risk of audits by the IRS when they try to work at a fast food joint. The IRS may say they owe taxes on another job or have to explain the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) claimed when they were a minor.
Impersonating someone's identity is increasingly used to gain access to health benefits. From using another's Medicaid card and ID to listing the health insurance information of a friend, this permits someone not entitled to the benefits to get free or discount care. Unfortunately, it also adds incorrect information to the correct person's medical records. This can result in bills sent to someone who never even received care. In rare cases, the medical insurance cap is reached and the person paying the health insurance premiums is unable to get care due to the health insurance fraud.
If someone is working using your Social Security Number and then claims retirement benefits, the payments go to whomever retires first. If it isn't you, you will face an uphill battle to prove the money is going to the wrong person. And there are as of yet no court cases in which the person received the benefits paid to the identity thief.
Basic shredding of your bank statements is sound advice but of limited use. Anywhere your Social Security Number and contact information are listed is vulnerable to ID theft. Your doctor's office can be hacked and your personal information stolen as easily and reliably as the Department of Motor Vehicles. An attorney's records include the SSN, address and phone number, allowing those who steal legal records to gain access to even more information for identity theft. You cannot control the information security of all of these hundreds of locations where this information is stored.

While you can never be 100% safe from identity theft, it's important to remain alert. Catching identity theft early is the key to preventing financial ruin. There are services to help protect your identity, but everyone's situation is different, so this may not be the best option for you.

Jason is the Founder and Creative Director of StartProducingWealth.com. For more resources and information on wealth creation and wealth protection, visit Start Producing Wealth.

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Identity Fraud is running rampant in the world today, are you safe? According to financial research, Identity fraud is the fastest growing crime in America, and is the #1 concern among consumers. Personal identify theft occurs when a criminal steals another person's private information and opens fraudulent credit accounts, stealing their identity and financial information. According to two studies done in July 2003 (Gartner Research and Harris Interactive), approximately seven million people became victims of identity theft in the prior 12 months, that is over nineteen thousand lives per day!

Identity theft happens in an unlimited number of ways, some are highly complex, some are as simple as trash diving. It's hard to believe, but some people make a good living by dumpster diving. They dig through public dumpsters and private trashcans looking for information, and it's totally legal. According to the U.S. Supreme Court (California v. Greenwood, decided May 16, 1988), all rights of privacy and ownership are forfeited by your disposal in the trash. The Court also said: "It is common knowledge that garbage is readily accessible to animals, children, scavengers, snoops, and other members of the public." Another form of attack is the more familiar online computer fraud or computer hacking method. Simply put, the steal all your personal information from your own computer by hacking into your home or office computer.

Protecting your online interest is best left to high quality security software from Norton, Symantec or many other firms. The best defense for protecting your personal identity theft is quite simple, shredding documents with your personal information before disposing of them. Don't give away your information to the public, SHRED IT! A short list of the items you should shred is listed below:

Financial StatementsCredit Statements and ReceiptsPersonal ChecksPay stubs and employer or other income documentationAnything showing names, addresses, phone numbers, and social security numbers, etc.

There are many quality shredders to chose from, most of these you can purchase online at discount office supplies web-sites. Many of the better and less expensive brands will not cost you a great deal of money and will do a great job for you. Shredders by SWINGLINE, FELLOWES and HSM are all fantastic and offer quality products. Choose a shredder with cross cut capabilities to really destroy the document and secure your information.

Securing your identity from theft is an ongoing challenge, these are just a few simple and yet effective ways to protect your precious identity. By shredding and securing your documents and controlling your on-line purchases, you should be fine keeping your personal identity safe for a lifetime.

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