You may become a victim of identity theft if someone steals key pieces of information about you -- such as your name, address, date of birth, social security number or even your mother's maiden name. Theft of these items could enable someone to commit any number of acts of fraud including, taking over your financial accounts, opening new accounts, applying for credit cards or loans, social security benefits and use of rental services. The goal of identity thieves is to spend as much money as possible before the person realizes they have been victimized.

• Regularly monitor your financial statements for unauthorized transactions.
• Use strong, unique passwords for your accounts and update them regularly.
• Enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
• Shred sensitive documents before discarding them.
• Be cautious with personal information online; avoid oversharing on social media.
• Keep your devices and software updated to protect against security vulnerabilities.
• Use a secure and encrypted Wi-Fi connection.
• Regularly check your credit reports for any suspicious activity.
• Be wary of phishing attempts and never share personal information through unsolicited emails or calls.
• Consider using a credit freeze to restrict access to your credit report.