How To Prevent Identity Theft

1. Never reveal your Social Security number to anyone, including stores, unless they have a good reason for wanting it, and have a very secure method of protecting it.

2. Never have your Social Security number printed on drivers license or checks. Once you reveal your number you are handing them your personal information, and they can use it.

3. Check your credit report regularly. Many victims of identity theft never realize their information has been stolen until many months later. By then the damage has been done. You will have to spend time and money, to put things back in order.

4. An identity thief will dig through your garbage, to look for receipts that contain account numbers that lead to other personal information. Make sure to shred old receipts or papers, and even pre-approved credit card junk mail. Identity theft has grown at an alarming rate because it is so profitable.