The US Federal Trade Commission (FTC) projects that by the end of 2003, 210 million identity theft complaints will be registered by its ID Theft Data Clearinghouse, up from roughly 1.4 million registered in 1999.

Identity theft is a serious crime. People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years - and their hard-earned money - cleaning up the mess thieves have made of their good name and credit record. In the meantime, victims may lose job opportunities, be refused loans, education, housing or cars, or even get arrested for crimes they didn't commit.

The FTC commissioned Synovate to survey 4,057 US adults between March and April 2003. The survey determined that 12.7% of respondents had been the victims of identity theft in the past five years, 6.0% of whom only experienced the misuse of an existing credit card. Another 4.7%, however, had new accounts or loans opened with their personal information, or had theft, fraud or other crimes done with their personal information.

What can you do to protect yourself? Following are some tips:

1. Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit bureaus once a year. By checking your report on a regular basis, you can catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances. Don't underestimate the importance of this step. One of the most common ways that consumers find out that they're victims of identity theft is when they try to make a major purchase, like a house or a car. The deal can be lost or delayed while the credit report mess is straightened out. Knowing what's in your credit report allows you to fix problems before they jeopardize a major financial transaction.
   
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2. Know what's in your wallet. Sixteen percent of victims have attributed their identity theft to a lost or stolen wallet. So you're prepared if your purse or wallet is stolen, place the contents of your wallet on a photocopy machine and copy both sides of your license, credit card, etc. Then you will know what you had in your wallet and all of the account numbers and phone numbers to call and cancel. Keep the photocopy in a safe place.
   
   If you suspect ID theft, immediately close the accounts that you know or believe have been tampered with or opened fraudulently. Use the FTC's ID Theft Affidavit when disputing new unauthorized accounts.
   
   
3. Checkbook safety:
   
   The next time you order checks, only print your first initial (instead of first name) and last name on the checks. If someone takes your checkbook they will not know if you sign your checks with just your initial or your first name, but your bank will know how you sign your checks.
   
   When you are writing checks to pay on your credit card accounts, do not put the complete account number on the memo line. Instead, just put the last four numbers. The credit card company knows the rest of the number and anyone who might be handling your check as it passes through all the check processing channels won't have access to it.
   
   Consider not printing a phone number (or use your work phone) on your checks. That way, you can write in your phone number only when required.
   
   If you have a P.O. box, print that on your checks instead of your home address.
   
   Never print your Social Security Number on your checks. (If you have it printed, anyone can see it and use it with malicious intent.)
   
   
4. Protect your private information. Shred documents showing account numbers before throwing them away. Destroy old credit cards - don't just toss them into the trash. Lock your mailbox or use a PO box to keep your personal information safe.
   
   
5. If you think your ID has been stolen:
   
   Immediately contact the fraud departments of any one of the three major credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on your credit file and Social Security Number. The fraud alert requests creditors to contact you before opening any new accounts or making any changes to your existing accounts. As soon as the credit bureau confirms your fraud alert, the other two credit bureaus will be automatically notified to place fraud alerts, and all three credit reports will be sent to you free of charge.
   
   Equifax - www.equifax.com
   To report fraud, call: 1-800-525-6285 and write:
   P.O. Box 740241, Atlanta, GA 30374-0241
   Hearing impaired call 1-800-255-0056 and ask the operator to call the Auto Disclosure Line at 1-800-685-1111 to request a copy of your report.

   Experian (formerly TRW) - www.experian.com
   To report fraud, call: 1-888-EXPERIAN (397-3742) and write:
   P.O. Box 9530, Allen TX 75013
   TDD: 1-800-972-0322

   Trans Union - www.transunion.com
   To report fraud, call: 1-800-680-7289 and write:
   Fraud Victim Assistance Division, P.O. Box 6790, Fullerton, CA 92634
   TDD: 1-877-553-7803

   Social Security Administration (fraud line): 1-800-269-0271
   
   File a police report. Get a copy of the report to submit to your creditors and others that may require proof of the crime.
   
   File your complaint with the FTC. The FTC maintains a database of identity theft cases used by law enforcement agencies for investigations. Filing a complaint also helps us learn more about identity theft and the problems victims are having so that we can better assist you. Contact the FTC Identity Theft Hotline by phone at 1-877-ID-THEFT (438-4338); TDD: 1-202-326-2502 or by mail: Identity Theft Clearinghouse, Federal Trade Commission, 600 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW, Washington, DC 20580 or online at: www.consumer.gov/idtheft

For more in-depth information on recovering from identity theft and help with specific problems, read the FTC's ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name.