Stop Thief! Stopping theft and identity theft before it starts.

"Hello. This is American Express. There has been fraud on your account. Please call us immediately."

Ever gotten a call like that? It's enough to make your heart stop. Your head begins to spin as you contemplate how your security was breached. It's anybody's guess who ripped off your credit card or what other private information is floating around.

According to a recent Javelin Strategy & Research study, the number of identity theft cases skyrocketed in 2008, taking nearly 10 million cumulative victims. The sad truth is if it hasn't happened yet, you're likely to be targeted at some point. Here are some tips to avoid being an identity theft target.

Lock your mailbox:

Does your mailbox lock? If it doesn't, get a PO Box and have all of your important personal documents forwarded to the new address.

Social Networking email account:

What email account do you use for facebook, myspace or other social networking sites? Are your passwords different? Many times people use the same email address and password for everything. Consider opening several email accounts, one for online purchases, social networking sites and personal emails. A popular facebook scam is for crooks to create false applications which require a user to "re-log on". Once they have your password, they have access to all of your friends, profile information and pictures. They spread desperate rumors that spark fear about your well being and whereabouts. If you list your email on your profile page and your passwords are the same, they now have access to your contacts in your email. If you use a specific email account only for your social networking, be sure not to store any contacts in this account. This will make it harder for a virus or crook to affect your friends.

Use online bill payer:

Most banks offer free online bill payer services. Not only are these incredibly convenient, the checks are drawn off of the bank's account and not your own. Your account information isn't put out there for just anyone to get their hands on. If you do use checks, put the extras in your safe deposit box or personal safe in your home. Stop using checks if at all possible. Your signature, address, account and routing numbers are all in one place. If you must write checks, don't ever include your driver's license number, social security number or the full account number of the payee anywhere on the check. Do not keep your checkbook in your purse or wallet. Keep one or two checks folded and hidden in your wallet or purse. That way, if your purse is stolen, the thief isn't running around with all of your checks.

NEVER put your social security number in your wallet:

All a thief needs is a combination of your social security card, driver's license or credit card to create a new, fake ID with your information on it. A dear friend of mine made this mistake. Her purse was stolen and soon, she had the police at her door. It seems the thief sold her information to several people who rented cars in her name and used the cars to commit crimes. Not only that, credit cards and lines of credit were issued in her name but, unfortunately, not for her use.

Run your credit reports every quarter:

Many states mandate a free credit report from each agency per year or more. Staggering these reports among each of the 3 credit agencies will allow for a free credit report every 4 months. www.annualcreditreport.com

Have different credit cards and keep them secure:

While you do expose yourself to additional risk with each credit card, it's important to have a credit card for online purchases. Most sites are safe and secure but there are still many that are not. Using one credit card for online purchases will allow you to quickly identify a purchase you didn't make.

Using a separate credit card for travel is a good idea as well. Your risk of credit theft is especially high overseas. If a charge is made when you're not travelling, it will stick out like a sore thumb. Additionally, examining the exchange rate on overseas purchases will be especially helpful if all of the charges are isolated to one card. Consider cards that do not charge fees for foreign transactions and ones that offer special travel protection such as American Express.

Lock your glove box:

Imagine you're on your way out of town for a 2 week vacation in the Bahamas... we can dream right? You park your car at the airport, grab your bags and your off. Now, what if there's a car thief lurking in the lot? All he has to do it bust your window open and grab your insurance card. Now, he has your address and knows you're out of town. If he's especially clever, he might also gain a garage door opener or a hidden key to your home. If your insurance company will allow it, use a PO box as your insurance address. While a thief can bust through your glove box, this is one additional step you can take to make it a little tough for him. Still not satisfied? Take your insurance card with you on vacation.

Mum's the word:

Do not advertise that you're either going on vacation or that you're already on vacation. While your facebook friends will enjoy hearing about your poolside margaritas, you're exposing yourself to theft.

Make copies of your cards:

Take a copy of the fronts and backs of all of your credit cards, driver's license and passport. Keep a hard copy in the safe deposit box or home safe. If you choose to have a home safe at home, make sure it is a good and heavy one. The worst thing a person could do would be to group all important documents and valuables into one place and make it readily available to a thief.

While travelling, be sure to keep a written record of the phone numbers for the credit cards you're travelling with. Keep this record in your suitcase (do not put your account numbers on it) so it's waiting for you if you purse gets stolen.

Hide your mail:

Do not keep mail in your car or visible from your car windows. This includes magazines. Again, if someone breaks into your car, he/she has your address.

Stay mysterious:

Limit the amount of personal information you put on the internet. While it might seem harmless, putting your child's first and last name in a school directory is one more piece of information a person has to rip off your identity. I used to be big about not publishing phone numbers and addresses but this is public information. If a crook knows how to search public records your address is as good as public. Do you really want just anyone knowing where your sons and daughters go to school?

Putting your full birthday online isn't a good idea... remember the discussion about social security cards in your wallet? It's the same idea. Listing your place of employment is another piece of information often needed on credit applications. Don't publish this information if at all possible.

Make your office your home... sort of:

When traveling, put your business address on your luggage. If your luggage gets into the wrong hands at your destination, there's no way for a networked criminal to notify his/her buddies of your vacation plans.

Guard your Social Security Number:

Do not use your social security number unless you absolutely have to. Most doctors' offices ask for this information but don't really need it. Leave it blank. If a school requires your social security number as an ID number, ask if a different number can be used instead.

Don't give personal information over the phone:

If your bank or credit card company calls with an urgent message, hang up and call them back. Many thieves will call and pose as your credit card company to gather valuable information. Something like, "can you verify the account number" is a huge red flag. Even a legitimate credit card company will most often only ask for the last 4 digits of your credit card.

Shred it:

Shred credit card offers and other mail that contains personal information.

Go Paperless/ Opt out:

If your bank and credit card companies offer paperless billing, it reduces the chances of your account information being stolen in transit. Be sure to tell these same companies not to mail you blank checks.

Freeze your credit:

You can place a temporary freeze on your credit which will make it difficult to open new cards or accounts. There may be a fee for this so make sure you understand the implications of a credit freeze before blindly signing up.

Set up a decoy:

If you know you're going to be in the city or an area subject to pick pocketing, make sure your purse zips all the way on top. Wear the bag across the front of your body. This will make it substantially tougher to rip the bag off your shoulder or slash the bottom out. My favorite tip was to create a "mugger's wallet." This is a wallet filled with fake information in the event you're ever forced to hand over your wallet.

Travel lightly:

Carry only what you need. Keep only one or two credit cards on you. If you're out of town, leave your house keys somewhere else but make sure to never check them with your bags. Keep your passport in the room safe if you're staying at a reputable hotel.

Hopefully all of this information will prove to overkill and you'll never fall victim to theft of any kind. Being overly cautious can save you hours of work and heartache. Once your identity is stolen, your credit score is at risk which can keep you from securing lines of credit, insurance and even employment. It's worth the extra effort to makes sure you're safe now.