Your Identity is stolen when someone uses your name, social security number, or other personal information to get Credit cards or loans. 

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) reports there were 9 million cases of identity theft last year with losses to consumers of more than $5 billion.  The simplest kind is credit card fraud, which accounts for over 60% of identity theft.

Check for identity theft by reviewing your credit report at least once a year.  You can get a free credit report every 12 months by calling (877) 322-8228 or online and the Annual Credit Report web site. 

Review your credit report for accounts you did not open and for account balances that are suspiciously high.

Only carry the credit and identification cards you need. Make copies of the cards you carry and keep them in a safe place. If your wallet disappears, you will have the information you need to report them as lost or stolen.

Do not respond to e-mail messages or telephone calls asking for personal and financial information.