Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America with more than 10 million victims in the past year.  Furthermore, victims spent hundreds of millions of hours each year resolving problems related to identity theft.

The good news is that there are ways to help keep your information secure is if you follow a few simple rules. Primarily, it involves changing your attitude toward your personal information, and respecting the potential for financial loss that comes with not keeping it secure.

• Don’t leave your wallet or statements lying around—even at home. Unfortunately, in 26 percent of all cases, victims are aware of the thief’s identity (FTC Identity Theft Survey Report, Sept. 2003).
• Check the contents of you wallet periodically to make sure all of your credit cards are accounted for. After making a purchase, be sure the card returned to you is yours.
• Never give your account number or other personal information over the telephone unless you initiate the call.
• Always keep your PIN (Personal Identification Number) absolutely confidential. Don't write it on your card or carry it with you and never give it out over the phone.
• Review your monthly credit card statements carefully. Unauthorized charges should be reported immediately.
• Sign your new credit cards as soon as you get them. Expired cards should be cut up and discarded. Solicitations for unwanted lines of credit should also be destroyed.

Unfortunately, even diligent consumers cannot totally protect themselves from all types of identity theft.  If you do become a victim of identity theft, time is of the essence.  Acting quickly and thoroughly can help to limit the potentially far-reaching impact.  Here are the steps to take when someone steals your identity.

• Report the crime.  Identity theft is a crime punishable by law.  File a police report and keep a copy to help dispute unwanted charges.  It will also help the police to identify crime trends. 
• Communicate with creditors.  Contact all issuers of credit cards, ATM cards, telephone calling cards, video rental cards, Social Security cards, etc.  Also contact your local bank and stop payment on checks if necessary.
• Add a Fraud Alert.  Contact the fraud department of each of the credit reporting agencies to place a temporary 90-day Fraud Alert on your file.  Then, write to those agencies requesting a 7-year Victim Statement be added to your file.  This will ask a creditor to contact you by telephone before opening any new accounts or changing existing accounts.
• Stay informed.  Victims of fraud are entitled to one free copy of their credit file each year.  Consumers may also choose to monitor their credit on a regular basis. 
• Get help.  Contact your local state Attorney General’s office, the Better Business Bureau and the Federal Trade Commission (877-IDTHEFT).

Identity theft is recognized as a serious social issue by agencies such as the Federal Trade Commission, the Department of Justice, the FBI and the Untied States Secret Service.  For more information about protecting your good name, visit www.usdoj.gov or www.consumer.gov.