Change Your Daily Routine

At Home
In the home, keep personal information safe, especially if you have roommates or are having any work done in your home. Don't keep Personal Identification Numbers (PINs) near your checkbook, ATM card, or debit card.Anything with an account number on it can be used in identity theft.

Shred any papers with confidential information before you throw them out - even the junk mail. Anything with an account number can be used in identity theft. This includes prescreened credit card offers, receipts, canceled checks, bank statements, expired charge cards, doctors' bills, and insurance documents.

Since many identity thefts are traced to having a purse or wallet stolen, carry as few cards with identification and personal information as possible. Don't take your social security number, and bring as few credit cards as you can. Think about putting different cards in different parts of your purse or knapsack.

You should be wary of any mail, telephone, or Internet request for information - it could be "pretexting." Unless you initiated the contact with a business, don't give out any confidential information - such as your credit card number, social security number, PIN, birth date, or even your mother's maiden name. Also be careful of unexpected e-mails that look as if they are from a legitimate company asking you to enter some information at a linked web site; sometimes phony web sites can look real. Make sure your family members also know not to give out any information to others.

Check your banking and credit statements soon after you receive them and make sure there is no unexplained activity. Keep track of when in the month each of your bills usually arrives. If a bill does not arrive on time, call the company to make sure no changes have been made to your account. Often, identity thieves will change the address of a bill so that it will take you longer to figure out the scam. If you're careful, you may notice the theft earlier.

Out of the Home - Shopping and Services
When you sign a credit card slip, avoid putting your address, telephone number, or driver's license number on it. Also, be sure to take your receipts with you to shred at home because "dumpster diving" is very common at large retail areas, such as malls. This will help to minimize how much personal information about you is floating around out there.

Be particularly wary of giving out your social security number. Few institutions - businesses granting you credit, employers filling out tax forms for you, or government agencies - have any reasonable cause to know your social security number. However, a business may refuse to serve you if you do not give them the information they request. It is up to you if you still want to do business with the establishment.