Identity theft is a serious crime that is growing each year. If you are a victim of identity theft you may spend months, possibly years, trying to restore a damaged credit report. An extremely ruined credit report could compromise your chances of obtaining new employment, a bank loan, insurance or even renting a house. It is even possible to be arrested for a violation you did not commit if the guilty party has used your identity to commit illegal acts.

Sadly, many of the means that crooks use to steal identities are out of your control to shield against. Although it is seldom, even store clerks have been known to utilize their position to send along information to identity thieves. There are certain measures you can take, however, that will make it more difficult for a criminal to swipe your identity.

Safeguard Your Credit Card Number When Buying Items

Subsequent to you making a purchase and your credit or debit card has been swiped through a credit card terminal, investigate to be sure that the printed copy hides all but the last four digits of your credit card account number (often there will be X's in place of the first 12 numbers). Some machines continue to print copies of receipts that supply all 16 digits of an account number, and may even consist of the date the card expires as well. After your card is swiped, you're authorized by law to hide the first 12 digits of your account number on the hard copy of the receipt that the seller maintains. Work with any marking pen that will do the function.

When you dine at a restaurant, it is especially crucial to be sure that the first 12 digits of your credit card number are not visible on your receipt. You might be in the custom of endorsing it and then leaving the restaurant's duplicate receipt on the table after your meal. A criminal can simply swipe the signed duplicate receipt prior to the waitperson coming back around to get it from the table. Don't take any chances.

Do You Really Need To Offer Your Social Security Number?

Additionally, an important way that you may safeguard against identity theft is to avoid giving out your social security number except when it is definitely required. Although you have to share your social security number upon applying for credit or for a bank account, occasionally a business or an organization will need to utilize it as an identification number, just to identify you inside their network. This is a familiar practice even though the law states that social security numbers aren't to be maintained as identification numbers. In this situation, use your common sense. There's generally another option if you inquire.

Destroy Forms That Contain Sensitive Personal Information

Buy a paper shredder and apply it to destroy documents you are getting rid of which contain personal info such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, telephone numbers and dates of birth. This is critical to do both at your residence and your place of employment. Identity thieves are not above dumpster diving to find valuable personal info that can help them get credit in someone's name.

If The Worst Occurs

If you do turn into a victim of identity theft, take the following measures immediately:

* Call your credit card companies, terminate your accounts and seek to have brand new cards issued to you.

* Place a fraud alert on your file with any one of the 3 major credit bureaus. The other two will be notified automatically.

* Put in a police report. You might be required to have it to show to creditors as confirmation of the illegal act.

* Put in a complaint with the FTC, which preserves a database of identity theft cases used by legal agencies for their investigations.