Three easy steps help protect your identity

by Center for Personal Finance editors

ATLANTA (10/23/06)--If you want to put a lock on your identity and take care of your credit, start with three easy steps that you can do now--before the end of the year (CNNMoney.com).

Curb junk mail. Thieves confiscate preapproved credit card offers that contain your name and address and then use those offers to open fraudulent accounts in your name. You can get off most junk mail lists by calling 888-5OPT-OUT or by visiting optoutprescreen.com. You'll be asked if you want to be taken off most lists for five years or forever. Another strategy is to register your name with Direct Marketing Association's Mail Preference Service at dmaconsumers.org.

Go paperless. Start by using a cross-cut shredder on documents you no longer need that contain personal information such as account numbers and Social Security numbers. Set up online access to your credit union accounts, and receive and pay bills online so account numbers can't be lifted from stolen mail. Resolve to check your financial accounts regularly--perhaps even daily--to look for unauthorized activity. The sooner you find fraudulent charges, the better.

Order your free credit reports. By law, you're entitled to one free credit report per year from each of the three major credit reporting agencies. Order one report every four months at annualcreditreport.com for each family member--including children--with a Social Security number. Anyone with a Social Security number is at risk of being victimized by identity theft, so check credit reports regularly for signs of fraud.