• At an automated teller machine (ATM) or in any situation where you have to enter your personal identification number (PIN), shield your keystrokes from EVERYONE.

• DO NOT use obvious information in passwords.  NEVER use your social security number, your driver's license number, yours or anyone's birth date, a telephone number or the like as a part of a password.

If someone has illegally obtained your personal data, they most likely already have such information.  The idea is to make it as difficult as possible for someone to gain access to critical sites, accounts, etc.

Create a unique password and use both upper and lower case letter such as "caMeRa."  Randomly alternate uppercase letters and consider using part of a word instead of a whole word such as "iNsiGNi" instead of the complete word "insignia."  Now incorporate numbers too such as "421inSigNI."

Create your own methods for coming up with passwords and in the process increase your password security.

• Regardless of the hassle, change your passwords frequently!  Just think of the hassle it will prevent if someone steals your identity.

• Do not keep critical information such as your social security card on your person; that is to say in your wallet or purse.

  If someone were to steal your wallet or purse, then they can easily steal your identity too if they know what they're doing.

• Shred receipts that are not important if they contain credit card numbers, your full name and other personal information.

• Do not assume people are not interested in going through your trash.  "Dumpster Divers" exist and can easily take over accounts and identities of the unsuspecting.  One man's trash is another man's treasure.

• Only keep cards and information you use regularly in your wallet.

• Never disclose your social security number!  If you have to disclose such critical personal information online, make sure it's on a secured server.

A secured server ALWAYS has the an "s" in the hypertext transfer protocol part of the URL (domain name -  company.com) in your Internet browser's address line.

Look at the top of your screen and locate the address to this page that starts with "http://www..."  This page is not on a secured server because no critical information is requested or needed.

A secured server ALWAYS has an "s" in the address and should read "https://www..."

• Always read a company's privacy policy.  Make sure your information will not be made available to any other person or entity.

• Use an Internet firewall.  If you do not have one, click here for a FREE computer firewall (if you use it only for personal use).

• Always completely destroy pre-approved credit cards before throwing them away.

• Before giving a credit card number or other critical personal information over the phone, look around to see who's near you and whisper if necessary.

• In public places, beware of "shoulder surfers" who shrug you to get to your wallet.

• Do not respond to email that asks for personal information.  Contact the company that manages the account and verify they are requesting an update.

• Go into your browser properties and/or tools and have encrypted pages deleted automatically when you close the browser window.  If you don't know how to access the browser properties, then ask someone who is familiar with such changes.  It could save you thousands of dollars and years of trouble.  It's worth the hassle or fee.