Don’t leave mail in your mailbox overnight or on weekends

Don’t leave your purse and/or wallets in unattended vehicles

Deposit outgoing mail in U.S. Postal Service collection boxes

Tear up or shred unwanted documents that contain personal information

Put your trash out on the day that it is collected

Review your consumer credit report annually

Report lost or stolen credit cards to the issuer immediately

Destroy expired/old credit cards and drivers licenses

Sign your credit cards - before someone else does

Memorize your Social Security number and passwords.

Don’t list your Social Security number on your checks

Match credit card receipts against monthly bills

Check your financial statements for accuracy

Call 888-5OPT-OUT: Limit the amount of credit cards you receive in the mail

ALWAYS safeguard birth certificates, credit history reports, and any statements that contain personal information

IF YOU FIND YOURSELF THE VICTIM OF AN IDENTITY THEFT

Immediately report the fraud to the 3 major credit bureaus. Have them flag your file with a “fraud alert.” and add a victim’s statement to the report. Also ask for a free credit report from each of the 3 credit bureaus.

Make a police report. Give the police as much a information on the theft as possible: How the fraud was discovered, activity to date of fraud (in chronological order), affected accounts and losses, and any information about how the imposter got your information.

Call all of your creditors. Inform them you are a victim of Identity Theft. Have them close your accounts and find out if you will be held responsible for the charges. **Request information on all of the fraudulent accounts be sent to you for your files, and so you can copy them for the police investigation.

Review your credit reports carefully. Look for changes in old accounts and look for newly opened accounts. Check your name, address and Social Security number for any changes. Have the credit agencies remove all information in our credit report that results from the theft. Order new credit reports every three months until your situation is cleared up.

Contact the credit bureaus in writing. Repeat what you said in the telephone conversation. Send them the police report case number and an ID Theft Affidavit. Send your letters certified mail with a return receipt requested. Keep a copy of each letter for your records.

Obtain and use an ID Theft Affidavit. The form is available on the Federal Trade Commission’s website: www.consumer.gov/idtheft/affidavit.htm

Write to your creditors. Write a letter to each creditor. Repeat what was said in your phone conversation with their employee. Give them the police report number and send them an ID Theft Affidavit. Send the letters by certified mail, and request a return receipt. Keep copies of your letters.

Continue to review your bills carefully and report any new fraudulent charges to the creditor