By Bob Rankin

Identity theft is one of the most traumatic non-violent crimes to which one can fall victim. When a crook uses your good name to commit fraud or robbery, the impact on your reputation, employability, and credit is severe and can last for years. You may even find yourself arrested for crimes you did not commit. So it’s important to protect yourself against identity thieves.

The telltale signs that your identity has been stolen can be subtle and go unnoticed for months, even years. Inexplicable charges on your credit card bill may be chalked up to clerical errors. Letters from creditors you’ve never heard of and certainly never did business with may be ignored. But eventually, an enormous credit card bill, legal papers or police show up at your door. You are denied a mortgage or a job. Then the real nightmare of proving “I didn’t do it” begins.

It can be maddeningly difficult to clear your name, costing hundreds of hours and thousands of dollars. That’s why it’s important to take steps NOW to make it as difficult as possible for a scammer to victimize you. Take action on these ten tips as soon as possible, and you’ll tips the scales in your favor:

Ten Ways to Protect Yourself From Identity Theft

1. Check your credit report on a regular basis, to see if there is any incorrect information, or accounts you don’t recognize. My article Free Credit Reports Online explains how U.S. citizens can get three free credit reports per year.

2. Shred your sensitive personal documents before throwing them away. A battery-powered cross-cut shredder can render your banking and credit card information unreadable and costs less than $30. “Dumpster diving” is a favorite, low-tech way by which ID thieves collect bank statements, credit card numbers, Social Security Numbers, and other bits of your identity from your trash.

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This excerpt is shared with permission from Bob Rankin.

BOB’S WORLD

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