COMMON WAYS IDENTITY THEFT HAPPENS:

Skilled identity thieves use a variety of methods to steal your personal information, including:

1. Dumpster Diving. They rummage through trash looking for bills or other paper with your personal information on it.

2. Skimming. They steal credit/debit card numbers by using a special storage device when processing your card.

3. Phishing. They pretend to be financial institutions or companies and send spam or pop-up messages to get you to reveal your personal information.

4. Changing Your Address. They divert your billing statements to another location by completing a "change of address" form.

5. "Old-Fashioned" Stealing. They steal wallets and purses; mail, including bank and credit card statements; pre-approved credit offers; and new checks or tax information. They steal personnel records from their employers, or bribe employees who have access.

Deter identity thieves by safeguarding your information.

■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.

■ Protect your Social Security number. Don't carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give it out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.

■ Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with.

■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails; instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware, and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date.

■ Don't use an obvious password like your birth date, your mother's maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

■ Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having work done in your house.

Detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and billing statements.

Be alert to signs that require immediate attention:

■ Bills that do not arrive as expected

■ Unexpected credit cards or account statements

■ Denials of credit for no apparent reason

■ Calls or letters about your purchases you did not make

Inspect:

■ Your credit report. Visit www.AnnualCreditReport.com or call 1-877-322-8228 to order your free credit report each year.

■ Your financial statements. Review financial accounts and billing statements regularly, looking for charges you did not make.

Defend against identity theft as soon as you suspect it.

■ Place a "Fraud Alert" on your credit reports, and review the reports carefully.

■ Close accounts. Close any accounts that have been tampered with or established fraudulently.

■ File a police report. File a report with law enforcement officials to help you with creditors who may want proof of the crime.

■ Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission. Your report helps law enforcement officials across the country in their investigations.

To learn more about identity theft and how to deter, detect, and defend against it, visit www.ftc.gov/idtheft.