To protect against identity theft, you should be pro-active. This means taking simple but effective steps to prevent easy access to your records. This will stop most thefts from happening in the first place.

If, however, you suspect something has already happened, check these steps to stop the theft in the early stages—or to prevent any further losses if it is already too late.

1. To check for inappropriate activity, order a copy of your credit report. An amendment to the Federal Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the major nationwide consumer reporting companies to provide you with a free copy of your credit reports once every 12 months, at your request. Do not contact the three nationwide consumer reporting companies individually. To order your free annual report from one or all of the national consumer reporting companies, go to: www.annualcreditreport.com, call toll-free 877-322-8228, or complete the Annual Credit Report Request Form and mail it to: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. You can print this form from ftc.gov/credit. Click on the “For Consumers” tab and look for “Credit Reports” in the “Categories” section. A downloadable PDF of the form will be listed under “Want a Free Annual Report?”

2. TODAY, place passwords on your credit card, saving institution, utility (water and electricity), Internet (ISP) and phone accounts. For your password, avoid using easily available information such as your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your Social Security number, your phone number, or consecutive numbers. When opening new accounts, many applications ask for your mother's maiden name. Substitute a password instead.

3. Do not give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or on the Internet unless you've initiated the contact or are sure you know who contacted you. ID thieves are clever. They pose as financial institution representatives, Internet service providers (ISPs), and even government agencies to trick people into revealing personal information. Do not provide your Social Security number, mother's maiden name, account numbers, and other identifying information unless you are certain to whom you are talking. Always confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization. Call customer service using the number listed on your account statement or in the telephone book. Double-check an organization's website by searching for it (via a search engine such as Google) rather than cutting and pasting an address they provided. You will find many companies post scam and fraud alerts.

4. Deposit your outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at your local post office, rather than in an unsecured mailbox. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox. If you're planning to be away from home and can't pick up your mail, call the U.S. Postal Service at 1-800-275-8777 to request a vacation hold. The Postal Service will hold your mail at your local post office until you can pick it up or are home to receive it.

5. If you believe you are already an ID theft victim, call the Equifax, Experian, and Trans Union credit bureaus, and ask for a "fraud alert" to be put on your file. If you ask, only the last four digits of your Social Security number will appear on your credit reports. Ask them to include messages on your credit report indicating that no new credit should be granted without your personal approval.

6. If you believe you are already an ID theft victim, contact the security departments of the appropriate creditors or financial institutions for all accounts that have been fraudulently accessed or opened. Close these accounts, and, if you wish, open new ones to replace them. Choose a non-obvious password, and ask that it be required for any and all future changes to the account.

7. If you believe you are already an ID theft victim, file a police report, either locally, or where the identity theft took place. You may need proof of the crime when dealing with creditors, so get a copy of the report, or the report number.

8. If you believe you are already an ID theft victim, you can call for information to the Federal Hotline, 1-800-FED-INFO. In addition, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) collects information on ID theft. They can be helpful in solving the crime, and they can provide additional advice. Call them at 1-877-ID-THEFT (1-877-438-4338) or visit http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

Additional Safety Information

For more information on identity theft and prevention measures that you can take, read

Identity Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name. USA Federal also promotes safe computing practices through the Security TEAM, an educational program designed to empower members with the tools to identify and avoid security threats. Additionally, USA Federal employs several layers of online security to protect your sensitive information.

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