How identity thieves get your personal information: They steal wallets and purses containing your identification and credit and bank cards. They steal your mail, including your bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, telephone calling cards and tax information. They complete a "change of address form" to divert your mail to another location.

They rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses, for personal data in a practice known as "dumpster diving."

They fraudulently obtain your credit report by posing as a landlord, employer or someone else who may have a legitimate need for — and a legal right to — the information. They get your business or personnel records at work. They find personal information in your home. They use personal information you share on the Internet.

They buy your personal information from "inside" sources. For example, an identity thief may pay a store employee for information about you that appears on an application for goods, services or credit.

How identity thieves use your personal information: They call your credit card issuer and, pretending to be you, ask to change the mailing address on your credit card account. The imposter then runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are being sent to the new address, it may take some time before you realize there's a problem.

They open a new credit card account, using your name, date of birth and SSN. When they use the credit card and don't pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report. They establish phone or wireless service in your name. They open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account. They file for bankruptcy under your name to avoid paying debts they've incurred under your name, or to avoid eviction. They counterfeit checks or debit cards, and drain your bank account. They buy cars by taking out auto loans in your name.

What You Can Do Today

Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every year. Make sure it is accurate and includes only those activities you've authorized. The law allows credit bureaus to charge you up to $9.00 for a copy of your credit report.

Credit Bureaus:

Equifax — www.equifax.com

Experian — www.experian.com

TransUnion — www.transunion.com

Place passwords on your credit card, bank and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN or your phone number, or a series of consecutive numbers. When opening new accounts, you may find that many businesses still have a line on their applications for your mother's maiden name. Use a password instead.

Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done in your home.

Ask about information security procedures in your workplace. Find out who has access to your personal information and verify that records are kept in a secure location. Ask about the disposal procedures for those records as well.

Where to go for more information or help on the Internet.

http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idtheft.htm#occurs

Identity Crisis... What to Do If Your Identity is Stolen http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/alerts/idenalrt.htm

Identity Thieves Can Ruin Your Good Name and how to guard against it: http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/conline/pubs/credit/idthieves.html