In 2006, the Federal Trade Commission reported that 9.3 million people had their identites stolen. The task force recommends taking the following steps in an effort to reduce your exposure to financial crime:

ORDER A COPY OF YOUR CREDIT REPORT ANNUALLY
Your credit report contains vital information about you and your financial habits. Reviewing a copy annually may catch discrepancies or errors that could be red flags or indications that you have fallen victim to a financial crime. A copy of your report may be obtained by contacting Experian, Equifax, TransUnion.

In December of 2003, the Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act was passed into law. The most beneficial aspect of this law is the launch of www.annualcreditreport.com, which entitles every American consumer to a free copy of their credit report once a year. The site is sponsored by the 3 major credit bureaus.

DON'T CARRY YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY CARD OR BIRTH CERTIFICATE IN YOUR PURSE OR WALLET
Place important forms of identification such as social security cards, birth certificates, and passports in a safe deposit box or fireproof safe to avoid having them stolen or misplaced. Only carry these documents when you absolutely need to present them. Photocopy the items carried in case your purse or wallet is lost, stolen or misplaced and make sure you keep that copy in safe place.

PROMPTLY REMOVE MAIL FROM YOUR MAILBOX
Thieves will steal your mail and other important documents from your mailbox in an attempt to gather personal information. Place a USPS hold mail service at your post office. The post office will hold your mail from 3 to 30 days. Any time over 30 days requires a temporary change of address form be completed. Be sure to have the post office hold your mail if you plan on being away from your residence for an extended period of time. These forms may be obtained on-line at www.usps.com.

PAY ATTENTION TO YOUR CREDIT CARD BILLING CYCLES
If you are aware that a bill, debit, credit or banking card has not arrived when it should have, follow up with that company to ensure it was mailed and on what day. Missing mail may be an indication that an identity thief has stolen your mail and changed the address on the account.

KEEP AN EYE ON YOUR CREDIT CARDS
In the course of a day, think of how many times you present your credit card to a stranger in order to complete some sort of transaction. Most times, the transaction is completed right in front of you. On some ocassions however, your card will need to be taken to a machine located elsewhere so that it can be swiped and processed. It is during the time that your card is out of your sight that an act of skimming may be occurring.

PURCHASE A SHREDDER
Shredding all of your important documents and personal information once you no longer need it is a major step in the prevention of financial crime. Thieves will steal your discarded mail including bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, old tax information, and cancelled checks. Look for a cross cut shredder, which shreds the documents into confetti as opposed to a strip cut shredder which only shreds the documents into strips, allowing a patient thief to tape the documents back together.

BE CAUTIOUS OF REQUESTS FOR INFORMATION VIA THE TELEPHONE, EMAIL OR INTERNET
Thieves will often attempt to entice you into providing your information to them over the telephone or internet while posing as legitimate companies or government agencies. Often times these con artists will use high pressure sales tactics to convince you to give out personal information to them. Every year, 40 billion dollars are lost through telemarketing fraud.

PROTECT YOUR PASSPORT & PREVENT THEFT
Losing or having a passport stolen on vacation can ruin your trip in a hurry. Passports are now required to to enter and leave most foreign countries. A passport is the internationally recognized document that can verify your identity and nationality. The U.S. Department of State has the authority to grant, issue or verify United States passports. If your passport is lost or stolen outside the United States, contact the nearest Embassy or Consulate and file a report. If it's lost or stolen inside the U.S., contact the Department of State. Photocopy your passport and keep copies in safe places (luggage, hotel safe). Memorize your passport number. People have emailed passport numbers and copies of the passports to themselves with on vacation.