Preventing ID Theft

Consumers once had reason to becomplacent about their credit cards,mainly because their liability for fraudulentcharges is limited. But now that identitytheft has become a major threat, withvictims often spending months and thousandsof dollars to clean up the mess thatthieves have made of their good name, it'sa wakeup call to start using preventivemeasures. For openers, get a copy of yourcredit report from one of the three majorcredit bureaus and check for any strangeaccounts or loan applications. Notify thebureau of any errors immediately. Nextup, buy a shredder for your home and useit to destroy credit card receipts, bills,preapproved credit card offers, and anyother documents that contain personalinformation. For more facts or for help ifyou think you're a victim of identity theft,go to the Federal Trade Commission'sWeb site (www.consumer.gov/idtheft).