How to Prevent Identity Theft and Credit Fraud Customers may be in a position to prevent potential identity theft by closely guarding their personal data. For example, never give out your Social Security number over the phone unless you know the company you are dealing with and have initiated the call. Similarly, if your mother’s maiden name is not likely to be a secure password, consider changing it to something a little more difficult …showed first 75 words of 2101 total…

…showed last 75 words of 2101 total…Shop around for an Internet Service Provider When deciding which company to dial into, ask about the firewall protections that they have installed to protect you. Nebel says that most ISPs have firewalls to filter inbound and outbound problems, so it never hurts to ask what precautions they have taken. Additionally, if your computer has been hacked, alert your ISP and they look into it. If they won't take action, find yourself a new ISP