Identity theft is one of the fastest growing problems and concerns crimes in America out there today. ID theft can happen to anyone at anytime. Most people always think that it can not happen to them, however it can and does strike thousands of people each day. According to a study done back in the middle of 2003 seven million people had been affected (become a victim) of identity theft over the previous 12 months. This works out to be: 19,178/day, 799/hour, 13.3/minute and this study was done roughly 3 years ago. These numbers are absolutely amazing.

There are many things that can be done to avoid identity theft. One thing that can be done is to make sure you are shredding all important documents or any documents with your personal information on them before disposing of them. This means pay-stubs, junk mail, credit card and financing offers, bill receipts, credit card receipts, and anything else you can think of. If you do not have a small shredder at home you can also cut or tear this information up before discarding or throwing it away too. Just make sure that you destroy at minimum the part that has your personal information on it enough so that it is not legible.

Start by adopting a "need to know" approach to your personal data. Your credit card company may need to know your mother's maiden name, so that it can verify your identity when you call to inquire about your account. A person who calls you and says he's from your bank, however, doesn't need to know that information if it's already on file with your bank; the only purpose of such a call is to acquire that information for that person's personal benefit.

Another way to safeguard against identity theft is to be careful of who you give out your information to. If a company calls and is asking for your SSN or account numbers, you should verify the name of the company and ask to talk with a manager. Try calling back the next day, and be sure that it is a company that you intend to do business with.

When it comes to protecting yourself from identity theft, you need to be very cautious and perform your due diligence research before giving out any personal information. A reputable company will not have any problems with giving information about their company and any other information that will satisfy you.

With regards to Identity theft and working with a mortgage broker there are some simple safeguards that a reputable mortgage company will employ. Check with your broker and make sure they keep your files locked when the office is closed, have password protection not only for computer access but for individual programs that hold personal information, and when the file is closed they shred all documents containing personal information. You should also ask to review your mortgage broker's privacy policy.

Reviewing your credit reports from the three credit reporting agencies will also help in keeping you informed to any activity that you have authorized.

There are monitoring services that will help you keep on top of your credit report. Often the fee is very minimal.

Never carry your social security card in your wallet or purse! Keep it locked in a file cabinet at home or in a safety deposit box at your local bank.

If you apply online only use secure websites. A secure website has a small yellow lock in the lower right hand corner. This will insure your personal data is encrypted when it is transmitted.