Top Ten Ways to Protect your Identity:

While there is no sure way to prevent identity theft, you can minimize your risk by being cautious. People who have been victimized spend months and even years clearing their good names and credit records.

• Shred all documents containing personally sensitive materials – especially credit card offers and accounts, and anything containing an account number or social security information.
  
• Switch from paper bills and statements to online accounts wherever possible.
  
• Check for unauthorized transactions or missing statements.
  
• Use email “alerts” to monitor transfers, payments, low balances and withdrawals.
  
• If you don’t have access to online accounts, review paper bank and credit card statements monthly and monitor your billing cycles for missing bills or statements.
  
• Review your credit report yearly.
  
• Make sure your mail is delivered to a secure location.
  
• Be Internet savvy. Never respond to spam – unsolicited emails.
  
• Unsolicited special offers and contests should always be viewed with caution, especially when participation involves disclosure of personal and financial information.
  
• Contact the fraud department of any one of the three major credit bureaus immediately if you believe you may the victim of identity theft. Discovering identity theft within one month can greatly reduce your chance of monetary loss and damage to your credit.
  
• Dispose of any unwanted computer CD’s and disks properly.