Identity Theft: Has your name been stolen?

S.C.A.M.

Stingy is the way to be with information about yourself. Never give out more than the bare minimum necessary for the transaction that you want to make—whether on your phone, on your computer, on your checks, on forms and applications, or in a place of business. Most especially, never give out your credit card number except to a trusted merchant or vendor when you have initiated the contact. Memorize information rather than carry it in your wallet or purse. Opt out of information sharing. Cover your hand movements at ATMs and public phones. Consider installing a locked mailbox or using a post office box. Do not let mail accumulate at home while you are away.

Check your financial information regularly and closely, looking both for what should be there and what should not be. If you do not receive your monthly bank or credit card account statement, or if something seems “off” about a statement, contact the financial institution immediately. Be vigilant about disputing anything strange. If you shop online, make sure that the Web site is secure and reliable. Make sure that either “https://’’ (note the “s”) appears in connection with the site or that a locked padlock icon appears on your Internet browser. Also make sure that the Web site advertises a physical business address, a customer service phone number and a privacy policy.

Ask periodically for a copy of your credit report. Three national bureaus–Equifax, Experian (formerly TRW) and Trans Union–collect financial information about you and disseminate it to anyone with a “legitimate business need.” You ought to see what’s in your reports in order to know who has been requesting data about you and whether any unauthorized transactions have been recorded. You also will have the opportunity to correct erroneous entries. You can obtain a copy of your report from each bureau for a small fee. You also can direct that your name be removed from their marketing lists, thereby limiting the number of preapproved credit card offers that you receive.

If you’ve had trouble—a stolen card, an unauthorized charge, a credit application in your name that you did not initiate—you can request a fraud alert on your account, requiring the bureaus to call you to verify all applications. Although you can report frauds by telephone, a written request establishes a record in case of later problems.

Maintain careful records of your banking and other financial accounts for at least a year, if not longer. And use a shredder for personal records before throwing them in the trash.

Your allies

If you think that you’ve become a victim of identity theft or fraud, act immediately to minimize the damage to your personal funds and financial accounts, as well as your reputation and credit standing. Here are some allies in that effort that you should contact: your financial institution, the fraud units of the principal credit agencies, your local police or the police in the community where the identity theft took place, the Federal Trade Commission, and—possibly, depending on the situation–the Better Business Bureau, the Postal Inspection Service, the Social Security Administration, the Internal Revenue Service. Also, contact relevant creditors concerning any accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Follow up telephone calls with letters.

If you take these steps, you’ll have a fighting chance against those who would steal your good name.