Credit identity theft can be done in either be through a credit card or a credit line or account. An identity thief may fake your card, or use your account number at a merchant websites and make purchases using your account. Or they can use your online credit to make fraudulent purchases. With this much possibility, credit identity theft even through the years rank at the top of identity thefts. In 2006 alone 8.9 million Americans fall victim to identity theft, majority of which are credit identity thefts. It is necessary to take steps to prevent identity theft and protect oneself from the hassle of fixing the problem.

How to Prevent Identity Theft – Your Top 3 Defense

1.  Keep your wallet safe. Put it in your bag or purse, where it is least likely to be stolen. Note that stealing wallets is the number one method where credit identity theft takes place.

2. Never leave your credit card statements just lying around. All someone has to do is fill out an address change form and send it to your credit card company or call them for an address change for your statements and then your credit identity is stolen.

3. Another way for your credit identity to be stolen is at an unsecure website. To prevent identity theft check for the yellow padlock at the bottom of your screen, this shows that the website is secured. If you don’t see it, it’s better not to type in your account number.

There are other options of course, money order, a checking account, a debit card and an online credit line but of course these pose their own problems as well and as such they too are open to identity theft.

A few of the problems might happen with these methods: money order may be inconvenient to get and it can get stolen in the mail as well, facing just another form of thievery. A checking account may mean more dire credit identity theft consequences, like having your entire account emptied in seconds as well as a debit card where all the money in the card can be taken at once. An online credit line may pose you with a large debt before any signs of trouble.

Of course, you can pay by cash for all your transactions, it is the ultimate protection to prevent identity theft using your cards but in this day and age, it is very hard to stay away from e-commerce, it is makes much more sense to transact many business online.

In the last year alone , identity theft has claimed over nine million victims in the US alone, and about 85% of these victims only realized that they have been victimized until it’s too late, when unknown charges have been made to their credit cards and/or something’s gone wrong with their credit report. Only the remaining 15% found out due to diligent activities by various companies and businesses have allowed the detection of identity theft and fraud.  So it is wise to protect yourself from identity theft, before it’s too late.

How to prevent identity theft

Many seems to be unaware of warning signs that should set off warning bells in your head. Here are 5 signs that can help you identify possible ways to rob you of your identity and then you can actually start to protect yourself from identity theft.

1. Your monthly bank statement shows withdrawals and fund transfers you don’t remember making.  You may be a victim of bank fraud.

2.  Some checks from your checkbook maybe missing and new checkbooks don’t come in your mail. Statistics show that the unauthorized use of others’ checking accounts is one of the fastest growing types of identity theft, protect yourself from identity theft by ensuring your checks are all accounted for.

3.  Credit card theft shows your credit card statements with purchases you did not make or receipt of billing statements from credit accounts and cards you never opened. An even worse scenario is when a credit collection company calls you to pay for stuff you never bought.

4. When your billing statements don’t arrive in your mail, you may need to protect yourself from identity theft, it can mean that your bills are being diverted to another address. Missing mails you expected to arrive can also be a sign that someone is raiding your mailbox.

5. You need to protect yourself from identity theft when you find yourself being disapproved for a new credit card, a loan or mortgage, when you know you can clearly have been approved. Checking your credit records will show debts that you don’t remember having.

Now that you know the warning signs you need to look out for, you can now protect yourself from identity theft, make sure that you take steps in order to alleviate some if not all of these warning signs, so you can stop identify theft from happening to you.