Identity Theft Protection

The United States Computer Emergency Readiness Team has issued tips on preventing and responding to identity theft. Individuals who are affected by identity theft should file a report at https://www.identitytheft.gov/. On that site, an individual can report the theft, get a recovery plan, and put the plan into action. The site has checklists and sample letters to help make the recovery process easier.

US-CERT recommends the following steps to avoid identity theft:

• Do business with reputable companies;
• Take advantage of security features;
• Check privacy policies;
• Be careful publicizing information;
• Use anti-virus software and a firewall; and
• Be aware of account activity.