1. Be careful about giving out your personal information. For example, don't give out personal identifying information (SSN, date of birth, mother's maiden name) to someone over the phone (or the Internet) when you haven't initiated the transaction.

2. Don't carry your Social Security card (or your children's SSNs) in your wallet.

3. Put passwords (NOT your mother's maiden name) on credit card and bank accounts, to make it harder for an ID thief to make changes to, or "takeover," your account.

4. Order your credit reports once a year from each of the three national credit bureaus. That way you're likely to catch any identity theft before it gets out of hand -- and not when you're waiting for a mortgage application to be approved.

What to do if you discover that your identity has been stolen:

1. Call the fraud departments of all three credit bureaus. Ask them to put a "fraud alert" on your file (this tells creditors to call you before they open any more accounts in your name). Also, ask for a copy of your credit report, and ask the credit bureau to remove any fraudulent or incorrect information.

2. Contact the credit grantors involved - e.g., the bank or credit card issuers who opened the fraudulent account or permitted access to your existing account. Immediately close all affected accounts.

3. Contact your local police, and ask to file a report. Even if the police can't catch the identity thief, having a police report can help you in clearing up your credit records later on.

For more information visit the Federal Trade Commission's special area for ID theft: www.consumer.gov/idtheft