Today\'s youth have very much grown up in a digital society. It is commonplace for them to place personal information on networking websites, such as Facebook, that can include far more information than is safe. This might include their full name, phone number, birth date, the names of friends, employers, etc. It might seem innocent at the time, but this is exactly the type of information that a thief can collect and use against a person. Knowing this, it is easy to understand why identity theft is one of the fastest growing kinds of fraud, and why teenagers are the quickest growing group of victims.



Students, and their parents, need to be vigilant in identify theft prevention. It doesn\'t take much to ruin a credit rating.





Here are 10 tips to optimize your identity theft protection:



1. Keep an eye on your finances, including all financial statements. Make sure you can account for all charges and purchases and that you receive all expected bills. Any unexpected changes in your interest rate warrant a call to the creditor.



2. If someone is hovering near you while using an ATM or making any kind of financial and banking transaction, leave the situation. Don\'t risk the possibility that they will memorize pin and/or credit card numbers.



3. If you use a shared computer, delete any and all personal information and passwords. You never know who is going to be using it next and you never know if the computer is already infected with key-logging spy ware that collects bits of information on you with every stroke you make on the keyboard.



4. Make sure all correspondence mailed to you has your correct name and address. If there are name variations, contact the sender and ask why you are receiving it. When throwing out documents that contain personal information�SHRED them into small pieces.



5. Safeguard your laptop. Over the last 6 months, many of the data breaches that have occurred have happened through the theft of laptops. Always make sure that your laptop is password protected, and armed with a firewall and up-to-date virus protection software �at all times.



6. Monitor your credit reports. Look for any name, address or open accounts that are not yours. Dispute all inaccuracies via certified mail. Determine which safety measure is best for your particular situation.



7. Remember that profiles and posts are never private. Current and prospective employers often Google your name in order to see what your interests are, what is on your personal page and what others have to say about you.



8. Keep your Social Security number, passwords and PIN\'s safeguarded -and never carry them in your wallet.



9. Beware of �phishing� scams. Never provide any personal information such as your Social Security number, bank account numbers or credit card data to anyone who contacts you via telephone solicitation, email or through social networking sites.



10. Prevent thieves from cracking passwords. Pick passwords and profiles carefully. Pet names, birth dates and interests such as favorite sport team or band, hobbies, as well as spouses and children�s names are often compiled in passwords and thieves know this.



Do you know what lies within your credit report?



It is not just online behavior that can lead to credit trouble. It\'s widely reported that 1 in 4 credit reports have errors. When an ID theft occurs (or inaccurate credit reporting), interest rates rise �and so do your credit card payments.



To get your free annual credit reports, it\'s as easy as calling one quick toll free automated number: 877-322-8228.