Holiday shopping may be over, but the nightmare may just be starting.

You've probably spent a lot of time and money shopping this holiday season. But if you were not careful, your information is now in the hands of a thief.

Make sure you check your credit card statements with purchases you made. If there are any, I mean any, discrepancies - call and ask questions about it. Even if it is only a few dollars. It may be an attempt to find out if the card is active and if the thief can now use it for larger purchases.

The first of the year is a good time to get one of your free credit reports. Don't order one from each credit reporting agency all at the same time. Once a year is good, but since there are three major credit reporting agencies, why not order each one three to four months apart? Pick one and order it. Then wait three or four months to order the next one, then another three or four months and order the last one. This way you will keep a closer eye on what is happening with your credit report on a quarterly basis rather than annual.

Put a reminder in your Outlook program, or other scheduling program. Put in the date you order each credit report and put a reminder on it for next year. If you can, make it recurring so each year it will remind to order your reports. Make three different reminders, one for each credit reporting agency. This will help you remember when to order it next year.

For more tips on preventing identity theft go to www.WhoElseIsYou.com
There's a great book titled "Who Else Is You? How to reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim" it's available for only $19.95 at www.WhoElseIsYou.com

Holiday shopping may be over, but the nightmare may just be starting.

You've probably spent a lot of time and money shopping this holiday season. But if you were not careful, your information is now in the hands of a thief.

Make sure you check your credit card statements with purchases you made. If there are any, I mean any, discrepancies - call and ask questions about it. Even if it is only a few dollars. It may be an attempt to find out if the card is active and if the thief can now use it for larger purchases.

The first of the year is a good time to get one of your free credit reports. Don't order one from each credit reporting agency all at the same time. Once a year is good, but since there are three major credit reporting agencies, why not order each one three to four months apart? Pick one and order it. Then wait three or four months to order the next one, then another three or four months and order the last one. This way you will keep a closer eye on what is happening with your credit report on a quarterly basis rather than annual.

Put a reminder in your Outlook program, or other scheduling program. Put in the date you order each credit report and put a reminder on it for next year. If you can, make it recurring so each year it will remind to order your reports. Make three different reminders, one for each credit reporting agency. This will help you remember when to order it next year.

For more tips on preventing identity theft go to www.WhoElseIsYou.com
There's a great book titled "Who Else Is You? How to reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim" it's available for only $19.95 at www.WhoElseIsYou.com

Deny it, but it still won't go away.

It seems that many people are in denial about identity theft. They know it's a problem, yet many still don't use a shredder. It's not going away. The most common form of obtaining your information is by low tech methods. This means, if you are proactive in protecting your information you will limit the exposure of your personal information.

Even with that said, some people have told me "they can have my identity!". What a statement. Do they realize what they are saying? They are saying they don't care if they are denied access their own checking account or their credit cards. They don't care if they are not able to buy the necessities or go on vacation. They don't care if creditors start hounding them for money. They don't care if they have to spend huge amounts of time and money to regain some resemblance of a normal life.

In reality what I think they are saying is that they don't want to take any action to stop it from happening. Maybe they think it is easier to avoid action than it is to react. I think they will be rudely awakend to reality when they become victims.

Daily changes in our routine is all it takes to become proactive against identity theft. We just need to learn what those changes are.

Who Else Is You?

In today's world identity theft is rampant. Thus begs the question, Who Else Is You? Is there someone out there using your information? Using your credit? Destroying your good name? Committing criminal acts in your name? Most likely - there is a one in five chance you are a victim of identity theft or fraud.

We must take a proactive approach to minimizing our own risk of becoming a victim. How? Here's a great resource. A new book titled "Who Else is You? How to reduce your risk of becoming an identity theft victim".

Adults are not the only victims. Which means parents must protect their children. Don't know what to do? Find out in "Who Else Is You?"