The following article is from a series of security-related articles, tips and information on preventing id theft …

You may be asking yourself, "Why do I have to protect myself against identity theft?" Everyone is a potential victim of identity fraud, and if rates continue to rise, soon everyone will know at least one person who has been a victim of identity theft. This is the sad truth of the world today. Protecting yourself against identity theft is every person's obligation.

Often, the mail leaves the average consumer at a disadvantage. All those papers in envelopes might be necessary bills and/or pre-approved credit card offers that make you think someone is taking notice of your hard-earned credit rating, but it could be undesirable people paying attention. Mail can come from thieves looking to steal your personal information and make you the victim of identity theft. The best way to reduce this danger and prevent identity theft from happening to you is to keep a close eye on the routine times your bills are mailed, as well as reduce the amount of information you receive in the mail. However, knowledge of the kinds of information that come from the mail office is the best weapon against Identity Theft.

Telephone and other utility bills always display customer addresses, account numbers, and telephone numbers. All this information can be useful to an identity thief, as can the information stolen from a driver's license renewal or monthly credit card statement. Remember one of the best rules to prevent identity theft: what you discard can hurt you.

You can also prevent identity theft by keeping a watchful eye on bank statements that come through the post. These often include your name, address, bank name, contact information, account number and even type of account. All this information is dangerous in the wrong hands. Pre-approved credit card offers also give would-be thieves the upper hand, and paycheck stubs from direct deposits give away your employer's name and address as well. Sometimes, even your pay rate and social security number will be included on the stub. Rather than crumple these documents and throw them away, invest in a shredder to fight against identity theft.

"Dumpster Diving" is a common practice of thieves collecting information. This requires them to scrounge through your last night's leftovers in the garbage in hopes of finding that one golden nugget: your bank statement, your credit card receipts, or anything that has anything personal about you. So beware, do your due diligence against identity theft, and shred anything that has information about you. If someone is diving in your dumpster, all they should find are food scraps.

For more information on id theft prevention, visit: Preventing Id Theft