Keeping Information Private

• Protect pertinent financial information by limiting who can view sensitive documents. Keep documents such as your Social Security card, passport and checking and savings account numbers in a safe, secure place. Always shred old bank statements, pre-approved credit card offers or anything else containing information that can be used by others to apply for and open a credit account under your name. Never enter your Social Security number, driver's license number or any other identification number on a website that is not secured. To verify that a website is secure, look at the web address of the site. A secure site will begin with "https," which means any information entered can't be viewed by anyone but you and the authority to which the information is being sent. Also, look for a lock icon, which will typically be displayed in the bottom-right corner of your screen. This icon should appear in the status bar of your browser and not on the actual Web page itself. Some less-than-reputable websites put this icon at the bottom of their pages to fool unwitting users into thinking the site is secure.
  
  

Safely Sharing Your Information

• Do not give out your Social Security number or other important identification information readily. Only share credit card information with people and authorities you trust. When making transactions over the phone or online, only give out your personal information for transactions you initiated. If unclear, always ask why your identification is needed and exactly how it will be used and the consequences for not sharing your information to help you decide whether you should give out your information.
  
  

Recovering from Identity Theft

• If you know or suspect that someone is using your identity to obtain credit, there are a couple of steps you can take right away to mitigate damage to your credit. First, place a fraud alert on your credit reports by contacting at least one of the consumer reporting agencies (Experian, EquiFax and TransUnion). Once you have placed a fraud alert, you are entitled to a free credit report for you review for credit accounts you didn't open, debts you didn't accrue and inquiries by companies you didn't contact. Report any discrepancies immediately to the consumer reporting agencies. Then, close any fraudulent accounts by filing out a fraud dispute form or sending an ID theft affidavit, which can be downloaded from the Federal Trade Commission's website. After that, file a complaint with the FTC to help better track and find identity thieves. Next, if applicable, file a police report within the community in which your identity was stolen. When sending documentation of fraud through the mail, always keep copies of your correspondence and make sure to use certified mail with read receipts.
  
  

Monitoring Your Credit

• To make sure that your credit isn't being borrowed by someone else, monitor your credit regularly for any suspicious activity. Obtain copies of your credit report from all three consumer reporting agencies and check for any discrepancies between your actual borrowing activity and what's listed on the report. Take advantage of the annual free report to which you are entitled. Some credit-monitoring websites such as Identityguard.com or Freecreditreport.com will send alerts if anything changes on your credit reports such as a new credit card or a past-due account. To further protect your account, you may be able to freeze you credit, which would prevent potential creditors from accessing your information and opening authorized accounts. Freezing your account means you can still access your credit report, and the freeze can be temporarily lifted if you need to apply for a credit card or a loan. Credit freeze laws tend to vary from state to state, so if you're considering this possibility, check with your home state's policies.