At Home

	Lock all doors and windows before leaving the house
	Do not display gifts where they can be seen from a window or doorway
	Store gifts in a safe place before going on holiday vacations
	Before going out in the evening, turn on lights and a radio so the house looks occupied
	If going on an extended vacation, get neighbors to watch your house, shovel snow, pick up newspapers, and park their car in the driveway from time to time
	Make sure items like VCRs, stereos, cameras, microwaves etc. are marked with a unique identification number to help police recover it in case of theft.
	Be wary of strangers coming to the door asking for charitable donations. Ask for identification, if the donations are tax deductible, and how the funds are going to be used. If you aren't satisfies with the answer, to not contribute.
	Beware of package deliveries where the couriers have the wrong address. Write down tag numbers of suspicious delivery attempts
	Prevent children not to play with tree lights and/or electric connections
	Immediately after holidays, mark gifts with your license or identification number.

When Shopping

	Be careful of people loitering around parking garages, parking lots, and out side of stores. Go the other way.
	Shop before dark if possible.
	Never park in an unlit lot, no matter how convenient it is.
	Lock doors and close windows even if planning to be gone for only a few minutes
	Lock packages in trunk
	Park near street lights, and have keys in hand when you return to your car
	Check interior of car before getting in, esp. back seats
	Avoid carrying large amounts of cash. If possible, carry checks, credit cards and travelers checks
	Don't carry excess credit cards. Carry only those necessary for the stores that you will shop on
	Keep credit card numbers recorded and keep this information in a safe place
	Be extra careful of purses and wallets.
	Carry purse under arm and keep wallet in inside pockets, not in back of trousers
	Teach children to go to a store clerk or security guard if they get separated from you. They should never go into a parking lot alone

At Work

	Lock up gift bought on lunch break and encourage co-workers to do the same
	Be especially careful to keep purse/wallet with you at all times or in a locked drawer or cabinet
	Be conscious of people who might try to reduce the work force in order to burglarize your company
	If you see unauthorized people in places that they shouldn't be, call security immediately
	Give a ride home to a co-worker who might have drunk too much at a company Christmas party
	Most of all, don't let a co-workers holiday be ruined by crime. If someone you know has been a victim of a crime, offer to help them with their shopping and help them locate victim services. Just listening can be a big help!

Identity Theft is the fastest-growing crime in America today, affecting more than half a million new victim per year. Identity theft or identity fraud is the taking of a person's identity to:

	obtain credit and/or credit cards
	steal money from a victim's accounts
	apply for loans
	file bankruptcy
	establish accounts with utility companies
	rent apartments
	obtain a job
	Thousand of dollars can be lost without the victim knowing about it- sometimes for even months up to years

Preventing Identity Theft

	Pay attention to your billing cycles. A missing credit card bill could mean that an identity theft has taken over your credit card account, and has changed your billing address.
	Cancel all credit cards that have not been used within a period of 6 months. Open credit is a prime target.
	Order a credit report at least every 6 months
	Reports should be obtained from all 3 major credit report sources. You can contact: Equifax @ 1-800-685-1111 Experian @ 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) TransUnion @ 1-800-680-7293
	Correct mistakes on your credit report in writing. Send the letters return receipt requested
	Identify the problems item by item and send it with a copy of you credit reporting agency
	You should hear from the agency within 30 working days

How Identity Thieves Work

The thief obtains your date of birth, social security number, and other identifying information like your address and phone number. With this information and fake driver's license, they can apply in person or by mail for instant credit by posing as you. They often claim that they have moved and provide their own address. Once their first account is open, they can continue to add to their own creditability.