• Keep your credit cards, debit cards, personal identification numbers (PINs), checks, social security number, drivers license number, and other personal information in a safe place.
• Keep deposit and withdrawal slips where they will be safe, and always shred them first before they're disposed.
• Before disposing of credit card solicitations, credit card statements, financial institution statements, utility bills, insurance information, medical bills, and investment updates, shred them first.
• Don't put your trash out until shortly before it will be picked up.
• Don't put mail in your curb side mailbox until shortly before it will be picked up.
• Take your mail out of your curb side mailbox as soon as possible after it's delivered. And, if you're traveling, have the U.S. Postal Service hold your mail or have someone you trust pick it up daily.
• Limit the information on your checks, and don't carry around any more credit or debit cards than necessary.
• Don't give any of your personal information to anyone in person, over the telephone, or over the Internet, unless you have a very good reason to trust them.
• Don't give any of your personal information to any web sites that don't use encryption or other secure methods to protect it.
• Use a firewall if you have a high-speed Internet connection. This software can be purchased on-line or from most software retailers.
• Don't use PINs or other passwords that are easy to guess (such as family birth dates or your pet's name).
• Examine your credit card, debit card, and bank statements immediately when you receive them to determine whether there are any unauthorized transactions. Report any that you find immediately to the financial institution.
• Make a prompt inquiry if bills or statements are not received in a timely manner - this could mean they are being diverted by an identity thief.
• Obtain copies of your credit report annually from each of the three major credit reporting agencies (shown under item 2) to make sure they'r accurate.
• You may also wish to do the following:

- Request to not receive any further preapproved offers of credit by calling 1-888-5-OPT-OUT.

- Ask to be removed from national direct mail lists by writing to the DMA Mail Preference Service at PO Box 9008, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9008. Include your name and address.

- Ask to not receive telephone solicitations from national marketers by writing to the DMA Telephone Preference Service at PO Box 9014, Farmingdale, NY 11735-9014. Include your name, address, and telephone number.

- Contact your credit card companies and place additional passwords on all of your accounts.

1. Contact the Federal Trade Commision at:

www.ftc.gov or

1-877-438-4338, or

Consumer Response Center, F.T.C.,

600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW

Washington, DC 20580

2. Contact the following three major credit reporting agencies to put yourself on Fraud Alert and request a copy of your credit report:

3. Cancel all accounts that have fraudulent activity or are at risk.

4. Contact your local law enforcement agency.

5. Contact the U.S. Postal Service if you know or suspect your mail has been stolen.

6. Keep detailed records of any theft of your identity and of your activities to resolve the theft, including logs of the following:

- The date, time, and amount of any unauthorized activity on your accounts;

- The date, time, duration, and cost of any phone calls; and