• Know what to do if your wallet is lost or stolen

Related Links:

• Federal Trade Commission

• Identity Theft Resource Center

Related Video:

• Protect yourself when shopping online

Detect and Protect

Detect
To avoid identity theft, you’ll need to be vigilant. The best way to do that? Keep an eye on your personal records:

• Mail
• Bank account statements
• Credit card statements
• Credit reports
  

Has any of your mail been opened? If so, it may have been tampered with. Does your bank or credit card statement show charges or withdrawals that you didn’t make? Be sure to review them closely every month.

Protect
You can protect yourself by following these simple dos and don’ts:

• Don’t share your Social Security Number unless you have to. Keep your card in a safe place, but not in your wallet.
• Don’t use any personal information, like a birth date or Social Security Number, for passwords or PINs.
• Don’t share your PINs and computer passwords or leave them out where others can see them.
• Don’t throw your bank or credit card statements and other financial information in the trash. Shred them first.
• Do monitor your credit report information regularly.
• Do copy every card in your wallet. If it’s lost or stolen, you’ll have a record of who to call.
• Do follow these steps for how to handle a lost or stolen wallet.