As with any crime, you can't guarantee that you will never be a victim, but you can minimize your risk. By managing your personal information wisely, cautiously and with an awareness of the issue, you can help guard against identity theft.

Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet (through email or online forms, or any other manner) unless you have initiated the contact or are sure you know who you're dealing with. Identity thieves may pose as representatives of banks, Internet service providers (ISPs) and even government agencies to get you to reveal your SSN, mother's maiden name, account numbers and other identifying information.

Before you share any personal information, confirm that you are dealing with a legitimate organization. You can check the organization's website as many companies post scam alerts when their name is used improperly, or you can call customer service using the number listed on your account statement or in the telephone book.

Before revealing any personally identifying information (for example, on an application), find out how it will be used and secured, and whether it will be shared with others. Ask if you have a choice about the use of your information. Can you choose to have it kept confidential?

Practice good home security —Secure personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help, or are having service work done in your home. Securely store extra checks, credit cards, documents that list your Social Security number, and similar valuable items.

Don't advertise to burglars that you're away from home. Put lights on timers, temporarily stop delivery of your newspaper, and ask a neighbor to pick up any items that may arrive unexpectedly at your home. For more information on general home security, you may also want to view our "Hardening Your Home" webpages.

Guard Your Trash Guard your mail and trash from theft:

Protect your garbage. Believe it or not, identity thieves rummage through trash looking for personal information—and you are at risk whether or not you are wealthy and famous. Don't make it easy for thieves to assume your identity with original documents.

To thwart identity thieves, who may pick through your trash or recycling bins to capture your personal information, tear or shred your charge receipts,copies of credit applications, insurance forms,physician statements,checks and bank statements,credit card statements,expired charge cards that you're discarding,pre-approved credit card offers you get in the mail, and any documents that contain your social security number.

If you do not use the pre-screened credit card offers you receive in the mail, you can "opt out" by calling 1-888-5-OPTOUT (1-888-567- 8688). Please note that you will be asked for your Social Security number in order for the credit bureaus to identify your file so that they can remove you from their lists and you still may receive some credit offers because some companies use different lists from the credit bureaus' lists.

(If you do accept a credit card offer, be aware that some credit card companies, when sending out credit cards, have recently adopted security measures that allow a card recipient to activate the card only from his/her home phone number, but this is not yet a universal practice.)

Consider purchasing a home/personal shredder, which can be found online or in local stores as low as $20.

"I recommend that people buy and use a shredder," says Vincent Filippini, an FDIC Washington-based fraud investigator."Any paper you don't need to keep that contains private information should be shredded.