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How ID thieves get your information and how to stop them

Information is everywhere and clever identity crooks are constantly finding new places to look, from your inbox, to your mail box, to your garbage can. Keep your guard up; many victims never figure out how their identity was stolen. Here are some common ways that ID thieves get your information and tips to help reduce your odds of becoming a target:

• Going through garbage.

  Unshredded bills and account statements are a gold mine of personal information for ID thieves who will gladly pick over yesterday's coffee ground to get their hands on your credit card number.

  Use a cross-cut paper shredder to destroy sensitive documents.

• "Skimming" plastic cards and checks.

  Some people print too much information on their checks and the magnetic strip on the back of your credit or debit card is encoded with your account number. An ID thief can lift all the information they need by just "skimming" your card through an inexpensive electronic gadget.

  Don't print your address, phone number, or other identifying information on your personal checks. Keep an eye on your credit or debit card whenever you hand it over to a retail clerk; if it gets swiped on more than one device, ask why.

• Raiding mailboxes.

  ID thieves go door to door to mailboxes to steal bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, and new checks or tax information. Some even divert billing statements to another location by completing a change of address form.

  Don't let mail pile up when you're home and ask the Post Office to hold your mail while you're out of town. Opt out of pre-approved credit offers to reduce your risk of ID theft and shrink your pile of junk mail; to opt out call 1-888-5-OPTOUT. Review bills and bank statements every month; call your credit card company if they don't arrive or if unfamiliar charges appear.

• Email phishing.

  In one of most common online scams, phishers use fake emails and counterfeit Web sites from well-known banks or retailers to fool you into handing over your account information.

  Don't trust unsolicited emails, even if they look real. Never send personally identifying information over email. Learn more about phishing at our Phishing page.

• Stealing from you or your employer.

  Some ID thieves steal information one wallet or purse at a time; others steal information from hundreds or thousands of consumers by lifting customer or personnel records from businesses or government agencies.

  Don't carry your social security card in your wallet. Carry only those credit cards that you'll need that day. Keep your social security card, birth certificate, passport, and other sensitive documents in a secure location such as in a fireproof file cabinet in your home or a safe deposit box at a bank.

  At work, ask your employer about their privacy and security policies. At a minimum, the policy should prohibit the posting and use of social security numbers as identifiers, keep employee files under lock and key, call for the encryption of all employee databases and back up files and restrict access to employee information.

• "Pretexting" or trickery.

  This happens when ID thieves armed with a little bit of background information use a false scenario (the pretext) or persona to trick you into disclosing personal information. Common pretexts include claims that you've won a contest, that you're due a refund or that your account information needs updating.

  Don't give out personal information over the phone unless you placed the call yourself and you know with whom you are speaking.