Ten Top Tips to Protect You Against Identity Theft

"So what can you do to prevent the fraudsters getting enough of your details to be able to clone your identity and then wreak havoc with your finances, credit rating and your life? We've put together a list of tips to help you stay safe and keep the bad guys at bay."

1. Don't throw away anything that contains personal information unless it has been shredded or ripped up to make the document illegible. So shred the following: bank statements, utility bills, application forms, chequebook stubs, card receipts and letters that have personal details. Today a smart burglar wouldn't bother breaking into your home and taking household goods and personal items. Instead they'd just steal identity-related documents. An even smarter one wouldn't even break in. They'd just go through your mailbox and rubbish bin.

2. Be aware of phishing phone calls - if someone asks you to give away personal information over the phone, check their details and get a phone number to call the organisation back to check they are legitimate.

3. Be very alert online - phishing attacks are a growing problem. Keep your email address as private as possible and don't fall for emails asking you for personal information like bank account details, usernames, passwords or credit card details. A legitimate bank or financial institution will never email you asking you to follow a link or asking you for personal details. Report these scam attacks to www.scamwatch.gov.au.

4. Be careful when using social networking sites, as these can be an easy route to snatching your data. You could be giving up your personal details to the bad guys, crooks with fake profiles, or the friends of your friends who you can't possibly know and trust. When you next log on to social media sites like Facebook and Twitter, check and set the privacy settings on your accounts so that you're only divulging information to those you truly trust. Please be very circumspect as to what personal information you post on social media web sites.

5. Always go directly to web sites asking for personal information rather than clicking on links in an email or web site page.

6. Only conduct an internet transaction if you are sure the web site is valid and secure. The rise of the internet has created a playing field for fraudsters - always ensure a web site is secure before providing personal details or account information.

7. Remember to set strong passwords. Last year, 20,000 Yahoo, AOL and Hotmail passwords w ere hacked only to find the most popular password was 123456. Try to use a combination of letters and numbers and change your passwords regularly.

8. Monitor your credit card and/or bank statements and look for suspicious transactions. Also check your credit status regularly; this way you'll be aware who is doing credit searches on you and if any new accounts have been set up in your name. Contact Veda Advantage or Dun & Bradstreet to get a copy of your credit file.