There are no easy solutions in the war against identity theft. Victims are innocent people like you who have just bought something over the internet with a credit card, or who may have forgotten to shred up a bank statement. We are all potential victims for the crime. Chances are, you know someone who has not taken the proper steps in protecting themselves against identity theft. Don't let that someone be you.



While it can make managing finances easier, getting bills and bank statements by mail does put you at risk of identity theft. Getting pre-approve offers in the mail is a sign that companies are taking notice of your impressive credit rating but they may not be the only ones taking notice. But just because you receive an offer on official looking letterhead doesn't mean that it is legitimate and may simply be an excuse to obtain your personal information.

You can reduce the chances of your falling for a scheme like this by keeping a close watch on the kinds of mail you receive and when. You can also switch to online statements where possible thereby reducing the amount of mail in your mailbox.

Phone, electricity and other bills for utilities usually display a customers address, account numbers and contact details. This is information that an identity theft can use to fraudulently act on your behalf.

The savvy consumer can also prevent identity theft by keeping a watchful eye on bank statements that come through the mail. These often include your name, address, bank name, contact information, account number and even type of account.

All this information is dangerous in the wrong hands. Pre-approved credit card offers also give would-be thieves the upper hand, and paycheck stubs from direct deposits give away your employer's name and address as well. Sometimes, even your pay rate and social security number will be included on the stub. Rather than crumple these documents and throw them away, invest in a shredder to fight against identity theft.

"Dumpster Diving" is a common practice of thieves collecting information. This requires them to scrounge through your last night's leftovers in the garbage in hopes to find that one golden nugget: your bank statement, your credit care receipts, or anything that has anything personal about you.

So beware, do your due diligence against identity theft, and shred anything that has information about you. If someone is diving in your dumpster, all they should find are food scraps.