Question: What Can I Do To Protect Myself Against Identity Theft?

Answer: There are a number of things you can do including taking these steps:

■ Shred financial documents and paperwork with personal information before you discard them.

■ Protect your Social Security number. Don’t carry your Social Security card in your wallet or write your Social Security number on a check. Give the number out only if absolutely necessary or ask to use another identifier.

■ Don’t give out personal information on the phone, through the mail, or over the Internet unless you know who you are dealing with. Avoid disclosing personal financial information when using public wireless connections.

■ Never click on links sent in unsolicited emails. Instead, type in a web address you know. Use firewalls, anti-spyware and anti-virus software to protect your home computer; keep them up-to-date. If you use peer-to-peer file sharing, check the settings to make sure you’re not sharing other sensitive private files. Visit OnGuardOnline.gov for more information.

■ Do not use an obvious password like your birth date, your first initial and last name, your mother’s maiden name, or the last four digits of your Social Security number.

■ Keep your personal information in a secure place at home, especially if you have roommates, if you employ outside help, or if you are having work done in your house.

■ Detect suspicious activity by routinely monitoring your financial accounts and billing statements.

■ Be alert to signs that require immediate attention: Bills that do not arrive as expected, unexpected credit cards or account statements, denials of credit for no apparent reason, calls or letters about purchases you did not make, or charges on your financial statements that you don’t recognize.

As soon as you suspect Identity Theft, defend against it by:

■ Placing a “Fraud Alert” on your credit reports and reviewing those reports carefully.

■ Contacting the security or fraud departments of each company where an account was opened or charged without your knowledge or approval.

■ File a police report with the Lincoln Police Department.

■ Report the theft to the Federal Trade Commission

For more information on Identity Theft, contact the Federal Trade Commission or the Illinois Attorney General’s Office.