Some users have asked me how they can protect themselves against identity theft. I have researched the topic for a while and found the following steps for you to shield yourself from possible identity theft.
Review your credit report periodically
The first step is to review your current credit report. There is a website sponsored by the 3 credit report companies: Equifax, TransUnion and Experian.
You can request a free credit report every year. When you get your credit report, review the report carefully and report any inaccurate info and unauthorized activity immediately. Remember to repeat this process every year.
Setup fraud alert
Once you have reviewed your current credit report, you can set up fraud alert. Equifax offers a free 90-day monitoring service.
https://www.alerts.equifax.com
You can renew it after the first 90 days. This service alerts you immediately when suspicious activity is found.
Security Freeze (not free)
If you are still paranoid about someone stealing your identity even after the aforementioned steps, you can freeze your credit report. This feature is not free for most states. This is probably the safest way to protect you from identity theft, but it also requires more work on your part. You need to contact the company and ask them to thaw your credit file whenever you want to apply for a new credit card or open a new bank account.
