Burn or shred any mail or financial papers with your personal information on it.

Report lost or stolen credit cards immediately and notify one of the three credit monitoring agencies if you discover your identity has been stolen.

Close any of the affected accounts right away and notify your local authorities. Then report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission.

Never give out your personal information to anyone who asks for it by phone or e-mail, unless you know the person or have initiated the conversation.

Use one credit card specifically for online shopping and be sure you can check the statements regularly online. Also be sure it has a low credit limit so if you get ripped off, you won’t lose much.

Never use your debit card as a credit card. If it is stolen, thieves can drain your entire bank account.

Try to shop only on secured Websites from companies you know and trust.

Never use something obvious as a password, like your mother’s maiden name or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

Limit the number of credit cards you hold, and religiously inspect your financial statements each month. Consumer rights quickly fade over time; the sooner you discover an identity theft incident, the better.

Avoid sending your financial or personal information (Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, etc) via e-mail or instant messenger. They’re usually not encrypted and your information could be intercepted.

If your identity is stolen (or you think it might have been stolen) and you live in one of the 26 states with laws allowing you to do so, consider freezing access to your credit records.

Keep your personal and financial information in a safe and secure place at home. Though a lot of identity theft occurs online, the Federal Trade Commission says even more happens the old fashioned way: stealing your stuff.

Be alert to signs of trouble like unexpected bills, bills that never come even though they should, denials of credit for no apparent reason, calls from businesses about purchases you never made.

Always check your credit report and inspect your financial statements.

Call 1-888-5OPTOUT and ask to stop credit card companies from sending pre-approved credit card applications to your house. They are ticking identity theft time bombs.

Ask your credit card firm to cease delivery of “convenience checks.” They, too, are ticking time bombs.

You’re entitled to one free credit report each year. Get it as soon as possible and review it carefully.

Order a credit report a month or more before you make a big purchase or apply for credit, to be sure there are no surprises in your history.

Hassle companies that ask for personal information, such as your phone number at a checkout line. The harder we make it on companies, the less they will be inclined to continue the practice.

It’s impossible to tell what’s real and what’s fake online. Just delete any e-mail that asks for personal information.

Just hang up on telemarketers, particularly ones who seem to be fishing for personal information, like your birthday.

Most of the time, you can’t prevent an ID theft incident from occurring, because two-thirds of the time, some company that leaked the data is to blame. So be prepared, and be organized. Save paper bank records for a year, at least. You’ll need them to prove your account balance in the event of an ID theft incident.

Watch this video for several ways your child’s Identity can be stolen.

Have you noticed that new traffic cam installed at the busiest intersection in your city? You know the one where everyone runs the red light. Thieves hope to divert their traffic violation tickets to you! And that isn’t the only crime.

Stolen license plates are used for cover ups on stolen vehicles, get-away cars, and hit and runs; and the plate is registered to you! Thieves know how easy it is to seal one because all you need is a screw driver. My Dad had his plate stolen but the thief wasn’t to smart because it was winter and the tracks in the snow lead to the neighbor’s house.

This being such an easy crime to commit, how do you protect your license plate? Well if someone is determined they want your plate they will take it but you can deter them as much as possible. Park in well lit areas at night and high traffic areas with lots of people. You can also buy from the auto part store special screws that make your plate more secure requiring a special tool to unscrew the bolts. These kits are around $3. If your plate takes to much time to take off, a thief will move on to an easier target. Protect your License Plate and if you are a victim, make sure you report the theft immediately with the police.