Identity theft is one of the crimes that materialized with the emergence of lifestyle-changing technologies like smartphones and the World Wide Web. In fact, identity fraud related incidents in the U.S. grew at an alarming rate from 4.9 percent in 2011 to 7 percent in 2012. The total financial loss attributed to stolen identities this year is already pegged at $21 billion, according to the U.S. Department of Justice, Javelin Strategy & Research. It is a rather complicated crime, but how can you avoid it?

Safeguard your mails.

Mails can be a source of detailed personal information. Outdoor mail drop boxes are sitting ducks for criminals. Protect your mails from identity thieves by trading your outdoor mailboxes for the more secured type that is accessed indoors. The closer it is to your home, the safer your mails are. Moreover, you should avoid direct mailing of statements containing bank account information. If someone else gets his hands on your bank information, you can lose a lot of money. Talk to your bank and set it up in such a way that only you and those you trust are authorized to personally pick up such risky documents from them.

Control your trash.

Avoid throwing away bills, receipts and other documents that contain complete personal information. Some criminals still go through their target’s trash to collect information. Dumpster diving may sound awkward. It is still however one of the easiest ways to acquire information as it is rather simple. It does not even require technological know-how.

Always run high-risk documents through a shredder 2 to 3 times before disposing them away. You can also pour some of your wet leftovers along with the shredded files to make sure that some, if not all of the shreds are damaged. Keep in mind that identity thieves will go to extreme measures to steal your personal data especially bank account information.

Protect your personal information.

There are many scams staged over the phone and with the Internet. Avoid sharing details of your identity easily, especially with cold calls that give away amazing deals. Pop-up advertisements on websites visited can also be a venue for identity theft. Do not fill-up forms, particularly those that require bank account information. Be very careful with where and with whom you share your personal information. Always check how other users rate an online store before purchasing products and services. Do not proceed with the purchase until you are sure of the integrity and security of a web store.