It’s a scary thought, isn’t it? You receive your monthly credit card statement and realize that someone besides you has been charging purchases against it.

Identity theft can lead to the loss of thousands of dollars and irreparable damage to your credit report. Even when the damage is relatively minor, victims of identity theft report feeling equally as violated as a homeowner whose house was burglarized.

There are steps that you can take to prevent identity theft. Here are ten.

1) Protect your social security number. This is paramount. Your social security number is the key to your financial identity. Do not write it or have it printed on your checks. Do not give it out unless you are comfortable with the person or company. In most cases it is wise to ask why they are requesting it. You can also offer an alternative identifying number such as your driver’s license number.

2) Track your spending and regularly balance your books with your bank and credit card statements. Often identity thieves will start small to test the wariness of their victims. If you regularly track spending you can detect identity theft early and prevent too much damage.

3) Track your credit reports. If your social security number is the key to your financial identity the credit monitoring companies are the door. The federal government mandated that the three major credit bureaus make credit reports available to consumers once a year. This means that once every 4 months you can, and should, request an updated credit report from one of them. For more information about this service, visit AnnualCreditReport.com.

4) Keep track of personal documents and mail. Any important documents should be kept secure and locked. Any mail that you receive with personal information should be shredded before it is discarded. This includes the ubiquitous credit card offers that seem to arrive daily.

5) Secure your computer. If you keep bank records, make purchases online, or receive email with any personal information make sure that your computer has a good security program with virus blocker and a firewall.

6) Know with whom you are doing business. Be wary of websites that don’t list a contact number. If you haven’t heard of a company before, check with the Better Business Bureau before giving them your credit card.

7) Avoid phishing. Phishing is the practice of emailing people and tricking them into giving out personal financial information. The most deceptive form of phishing is to emulate a well known company or financial institution by fraudulently using their name and graphic logo. The recipient of the email is asked to click on a link and resubmit their information. If you ever receive an email like this, do not click on the links. Instead, type in the institution’s website into the address bar of your internet window and login to your account if you regularly use their online services. If there is a problem with your information there will usually be a message there. Alternatively, you can call the company directly and explain that you received the email then ask them what you should do.

8) Use common sense when choosing a password. Do not use obvious passwords like your birthday or mother’s maiden name. These may be easy for you to remember but they are also relatively easy for identity thieves to find out. Choose keywords which are more obscure or even nonsense. If you find that you have trouble remembering them and need to write them down, keep them locked up with your other secure documents from #4.

9) Do not give out personal information to callers. This is a scam similar to #7. Identity thieves will call and pretend to be from a financial institution. If anyone calls and asks for information that they should already have do not give it to them. Instead, explain that you will have to call back. Then call the institution’s regular phone number and explain the situation.

10) Always ask questions. No person or company has a right to your personal financial information. Anytime you are asked for this information or you feel compelled to share it ask why and make sure that you understand the answer.

If you follow these simple steps and make sure that you properly monitor your financial situation you should be able to protect yourself from identity theft.

Bryce Eddings is a freelance writer. For personal security information and products visit Professional Supplies for Less