Protect Yourself from Identity Theft

* Stop the pre-approved credit card offers. Calling (888) 5 OPT OUT removes your name from the marketing mailing lists of all three credit agencies.

Since there is currently no foolproof way to guarantee your identity won't be stolen, stay alert for signs that someone may be using your identity.

* If you fail to receive bills or other mail on time or as expected, call the sender directly. A missing bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed the mailing address.

* You begin receiving credit cards you did not apply for.

* You have been denied credit or are receiving less favorable credit terms -- a higher interest rate or lower credit limit than you've received in the past.

* You begin receiving calls from debt collection agencies or businesses regarding merchandise you did not purchase.

FTC statistics show that once a consumer becomes a victim of identity theft, the average time spent repairing the problem is between 400 and 600 hours. Companies like ID Watchdog can save time and hassle by offering identity theft monitoring and prevention.

The services scrutinize customer information and guarantee that if thieves slip something past, the company will fix any problems the customer experiences and help them regain and retain their identity.