So don't neglect low-tech safeguards, such as shredding financial statements, checking your credit-card bill every month, and reviewing your credit rating every year or so.
Two well-regarded sites for checking your own credit rating online are QSpace, at
If you do become a victim of identity theft, report it to law enforcement as soon as possible. You can use the Federal Trade Commission's toll-free number (1-877-ID-THEFT) or online complaint form. Prompt reporting will help the authorities pursue leads and find the bad guys.
For more information about identity theft, check out the following Web sites: Federal Trade Commission Identity Theft,
Reid Goldsborough is a syndicated columnist and author of the book Straight Talk About the Information Superhighway. He can be reached at reidgold@netaxs.com or
