Who are you?

In the movie "The Net," a victim of identity theft was erased from the community after another woman assumed her identity, taking her bank accounts, driver's license, Social Security number, and even her home. You may say, "That was only a movie. But this nightmare could happen to you. More than 100,000 identity theft complaints are filed each year.

Identity thieves work in various ways. One of the most common is to open up a new credit card in your name, using your date of birth and Social Security number. They rack up charges, don't pay the bill and the delinquent account shows up on your credit report. They can also change the mailing address. If your credit card mailings are sent to a false address, the identity thieves have more time to make purchases before you realize there is a problem.

Identity theft today costs much more than losing your wallet full of cash. You could lose your entire savings account. Some victims have paid off false loans and huge credit card debt. At the very least, victims will lose their good credit rating. Most people spend endless hours trying to clear up resulting security and financial problems. This can be costly, time consuming and extremely stressful to the victim and their family.

By using some simple strategies, you can reduce your chances of becoming a victim of identity theft. Don't put this off--do this a little at a time. Another surprise--other areas of managing your life will be more organized as well!

* Never give out your Social Security number to anyone, unless the agency requesting it can guarantee confidentiality.

* Take your Social Security number off your driver's license and checks.

* Cancel and cut up unused or "extra" credit cards.

* Check your credit card statements for any purchases that seem odd to you. Keep track of what you buy!

* Watch your phone bill, cable bill, internet bill, etc., for any increase in charges.

* If your credit card bill is late or you suspect it is lost, call the credit card issuer immediately.

* Check with your creditors on their policy for stolen cards or fraudulently accessed accounts. (You could be liable!)

* Mail bills from the post office or an official postal box instead of your home.

* Keep important documents (passport, birth certificate, stocks, savings accounts) locked in a safe or file drawer.