Are you looking for more information on identity theft? If so, you have come to the right place. Identity theft, a form of fraud that involves stealing another's identity, is becoming an increasing concern for American citizens. It is estimated that every one in every twenty Americans will be targeted for identity theft each year. Luckily, there are things you can do to protect yourself. Let's take a look at some things you can do to protect yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft.

In order to protect yourself from theft, you must know the techniques of the thieves. One way that many thieves retrieve information about another is by rummaging through garbage. To protect yourself, it is therefore extremely important that you never throw anything with personal information on it into the garbage. Burn anything that has your name, address, banking information, or any other personal information on it. If you do not have the opportunity to burn it, be sure to place it into a paper shredder before disposing it into the garbage.

Another way that many criminals obtain your personal information is through online websites. Shopping online is very safe, if you do it properly. If you are purchasing something online, always be sure that the website is secure. Any websites that are not secure are subject to hacking, allowing predators to obtain your private information. To ensure that a website is secure, check to see that the webpage has 'https' in it and look at the bottom of your webpage for a lock graphic.

When it comes to identity theft, you must always be aware of the different types of internet and telephone scams. One type of online scam used by thieves are called phishing. In these scams, the thieves will send you an email pretending to be a secure company (such as PayPal). In their email they will request your personal information. If you ever receive an email regarding personal information, be sure to contact the company directly before giving any information away. Also be sure to never give out your personal information over the phone. Many scammers pretend to be a charity or company, requesting personal information over the telephone. Do not give them your information!

Finally, be sure to keep all important documents in a secure place. Things like your social security number, birth certificate, and passport, are all great ways for thieves to gain access to your personal identity. For utmost protection it is suggested that you store these documents in a locked box until needed. If you do not need to, avoid carrying these documents along with you.

Identity theft is becoming an increasing concern in society today, but you do not need to be a victim. To protect yourself from identity theft be sure to destroy any papers with personal information, never give out personal information online unless a website is secure, never give out information through email or over the telephone, and be sure to keep all of your important documents in a secure and safe place.