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by: AdrianFletcher
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Word Count: 539

It might seem like a huge number, but it is estimated that nearly 10 million people will be affected by some form of identity theft this year. The reality is that if you do any form of online or telephone shopping you could be at risk. In fact, in worst case scenarios, a cunning thief only needs you name to commit some forms of crime using your identity. Here are six ways that you can prevent identity theft happening to you.

Don't throw out any documents or letters that have personal information on them. Rather, you want to tear up the letters or, better still, shred them with a proper paper shredder. Paper shredders are quite cheap now and easy to operate. It is a very simple task to do to protect your identity and an even simpler task for thieves to pick out revealing documents from your trash and use then to steal your identity.

Remove any letters from your mail box promptly. It goes without saying that thieves can go through your mail box and steal important letters that have your personal details on them. If this is a real problem in your area then getting a PO Box is a better solution to mail theft. Also, ensure that your mail is handled if you are away for work or vacation. A simple hold or redirect service that the postal services run for a small fee can help in this situation.

Social security numbers are a principal way in which thieves will steal your identity. Keep your Social security number in a safe place, like a safe or such like. You don't need to carry it on you and should be wary about who you give the number out to.

Again, be careful with receipts that your get in your daily dealings. Things like ATM or bank statements or credit card receipts can hold important information that can be used against you. Always take them with you and shred at a later date if you don't want them.

Be wary of any people cold calling you by telephone and asking for information. They may have a good story and sound plausible but that is not guarantee that they are. Instead, ask them for information, namely, their name, the company they represent and why they are calling. Then phone the company on a legitimate number (yellow pages or a number that you have used before) and inquire about the person and the reason they called. If you are satisfied that everything is above board then give the information that they requested to them.

Get off of junk mail lists. Ask to be removed from the mailing list of any junk mail or mail that you don't feel benefits you in any way. This can save you a lot of work opening and throwing mail away and prevent any potential identity theft problems occurring.

Although these suggestions might seem straight forward and you may do some of them already, it is important to stay vigilant. Many people can become careless when nothing happens to them. Try to turn these suggestions into habits that you perform without thinking so that you never let your guard down. Hopefully this will prevent identity theft ever happening to you.

About the Author

Get more advice on protection from identity theft at http://www.identitytheftsentry.com . Learn about phishing and other online identity theft scams.

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