Identity theft is rapidly becoming the most popular crime of the new millennium. In an age where most of our daily transactions are conducted electronically, criminals are finding more and more ways of accessing computer systems. Fortunately, there are ways to prevent identity theft, and options which you can pursue if you should ever become a victim of this terrible crime.

Identity theft can occur in many ways, and safeguards like shredding documents that contain personal information, never giving your Social Security number or account numbers out over the phone and more have been among the advice commonly given in the hope of preventing identity theft.

PREVENT access to your personal information

• Do not release Social Security or account numbers in response to e-mail, phone or in-person requests. When responding to e-mail, ignore any Internet links provided and type the full address instead.
• Keep all sensitive documents, checkbooks and credit cards securely locked away at home and at work.
• Carry only those credit cards that you need in your wallet.
• Before discarding, shred all private documents.
• Retrieve paper mail promptly and place outgoing checks or other sensitive documents in a U.S. Postal Service mailbox.
• Sign up for automatic payroll deposits.
• Replace paper bills, statements and checks with online (paperless) versions.
• Keep passwords hidden (even in your own home) and change them frequently.
• Use and regularly update firewall and anti-virus software.
• Do not respond to suspicious e-mails. Delete them, and if there is any doubt contact the company to determine if the e-mail is real.
• Don't discard a computer without completely destroying the data on the hard drive.

DETECT unauthorized activity

• Review bank, credit card and biller statements weekly - available through online account access.
• Contact your financial provider if you fail to receive statements in a timely manner.
• Review your credit information regularly (free annual reports are available at www.annualcreditreport.com or call 1-877-322-8228).
• Use e-mail-based account "alerts" to monitor transfers, payments, low balances, withdrawals, or detect any out-of-pattern activity.
• Visit your bank's, credit card issuer's or biller's web site(s) frequently to monitor regular account activity.

RESOLVE fraud promptly, minimizing losses and protecting your credit record

• Ask your financial provider about zero-liability guarantees against fraud and dedicated resources to help you resolve and recover from any potential losses.
• Victims of theft: notify your financial providers, begin monitoring your accounts more frequently, and place an "alert" at all three credit bureaus (Equifax, Experian or TransUnion).
• Alert federal and local law enforcement if you suspect or detect identity fraud.

For more information, contact the Better Business Bureau or visit the web site at www.bbb.org.