| A criminal, properly equipped with your full name, | | | | Social Security card, because your Social Security |
| social security number, and some inexpensive | | | | number is the golden key that unlocks all the |
| electronic gear, can become you in approximately | | | | financial doors. For most routine transactions, your |
| ninety-seconds-just barely longer than it takes to | | | | driver's license ought to identify you to reputable |
| steal your car. In as little as twenty minutes, a | | | | business people. |
| skilled impersonator may produce up to ten credit | | | | 2. Never write your Social Security number on |
| cards and several checking accounts which bear | | | | your checks or credit card receipts. Merchants |
| your name and attach to your three major credit | | | | and service providers do not need it. |
| reports. You may have no idea that your credit | | | | 3. When you create passwords and personal |
| data has been cloned until you go, innocently, to | | | | identification numbers for new accounts, do not |
| apply for a home or car loan; then, discovery of | | | | use any part of your address, Social Security |
| your identity's theft will hit you like a sledge | | | | number, or birthday among the digits. Identity |
| hammer to your guts. | | | | thieves always will try those numbers first as |
| America's Fastest-Growing Non-Violent Crime | | | | they try to gain access to your information. |
| Especially since the United States slipped into | | | | 4. Keep a list of your credit cards, their expiration |
| economic depression, identity theft has | | | | dates, and other financial data, so that you quickly |
| skyrocketed. In 2002, more than forty thousand | | | | can contact your creditors when you suspect you |
| people experienced identity theft; in 2007, the | | | | have become the victim of identity theft or fraud. |
| number soared to nearly ¼ million, most of | | | | 5. Never give out personal data of any kind to a |
| whom are respectable, perfectly ordinary citizens. | | | | telemarketer or door-to-door solicitor no matter |
| The more solidly hard-working, honestly middle | | | | how legitinmate and reliable the person or business |
| class you are, the more you stand at-rosk of | | | | appears. |
| having your identity stolen. You are the kind of | | | | 6. Make online purchases with your credit card |
| person who enjoys all the rights and privileges of | | | | only when you have complete assurance of the |
| good credit, and you are least likely to be | | | | site's security: It ought to be encrypted a show |
| on-guard against fraud or theft. | | | | one of several logos or trademarks from site |
| The bad economy actually has reduced most | | | | verification services. |
| thefts and burglaries, but it dramatically has | | | | 7. For security and for the sake of improving |
| increased identity theft, because stealing a | | | | your credit score, cancel credit cards you never |
| credit-worthy person's identity gives the bad guys | | | | use. Especially consider cancelling department |
| access to cash and leverage on big purchases. | | | | store or retailers' credit cards, because they are |
| These are not small-time crooks; they are | | | | more readily cloned, and they charge higher |
| extremely sophisticated." | | | | interest rates. |
| An Ounce of Prevention | | | | 8. Carefully monitor all your credit card activity |
| The process for reconciling with your creditors in | | | | online. |
| case of identity theft has become much easier, | | | | 9. Request a copy of your credit report at least |
| but it still may take up to a year completely to | | | | once a year. Better, subscribe to an online credit |
| cleanse your credit report and restore your good | | | | reporting service, which will alert you to all |
| name. Bauer stresses, "You really gain a huge | | | | suspicious activities on all of your accounts. |
| advantage if you protect yourself from it instead | | | | 10. Do not do business with any company that |
| of trying to fix it after it's done." | | | | operates exclusively from a website or post |
| Ten steps to protect yourself: | | | | office box; make sure your retailers and service |
| 1. Do not carry important identity documents in | | | | providers have brick-and-mortar locations. |
| your purse or wallet; especially, do not carry your | | | | |