Identity Theft Prevention - Police, Arlington, Virginia

Don’t list extra information on your personal checks, such as your Social Security Number, driver’s license number or middle name.
Have new checks delivered to your financial institution instead of your home mailbox.
Reduce the number of credit cards you use to a bare minimum and carry as few with you as possible.
Cancel all unused accounts — credit reports still record these, making them susceptible to identity theft.
Keep a record of all your credit cards, account numbers, expiration dates and your card issuers’ customer service and fraud investigation phone numbers. Keep this information in a secure place (not your wallet or purse) so you can quickly contact your creditors if your cards become lost or stolen. Do the same with bank accounts.
Never give your credit card number or other personal information over the phone, unless you have a relationship with the company and you have initiated the call. Identity thieves often call potential victims with a fake story offering prizes or credit, then ask for credit card or bank information to “verify” the award.
Always take credit card and ATM receipts with you instead of tossing them in a public trash container. Shred receipts, account statements and any other personal financial information before discarding them in the garbage.
Order your credit report once a year from each of the three credit bureaus below to check for inaccuracies and fraudulent use of your accounts.