Column: Protect yourself against identity theft, account fraud By Paul Kendle For The News-Chronicle It was the leading consumer fraud complaint in 2001. It's one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States, with the number of victims climbing to 750,000 each year. It forces victims to spend hundreds of hours and dollars to straighten out their finances. It damages credit records and customers' privacy, and it usually occurs without the victim even knowing. This type of fraud is called identity theft - when criminals steal a customer's personal identity information, such as a Social Security number, driver's license number, date of birth or an account number, to apply for credit in the customer's name, to run up bills, write bad checks and avoid creditors. Individuals can learn to protect themselves by being aware that this problem exists and continues to grow. Consumers and financial institutions both share a responsibility to guard against fraud. Here are valuable tips on how you can protect yourself against identity theft and account fraud. DO: — Buy a shredder and use it to destroy unnecessary financial documents, including old bank statements, invoices, unwanted pre-approved credit offers and receipts. — Keep an eye out for missing mail. If regular bills or statements stop reaching you, take action and call the company's customer service number. Someone may have filed a false change-of-address notice to divert your mail. — Review your bank statements and credit reports routinely. If doubtful or unauthorized charges appear on your bills or statements, call immediately to resolve the issue. — Keep personal numbers off your checks. Never preprint your driver's license or Social Security number on your checks, and have new checks mailed to your banking store. DON'T — Leave checks, identification, receipts or credit cards in plain sight, such as in a vehicle. Also, don't carry your Social Security card or birth certificate in your purse - if stolen, these make it easy for a criminal to reproduce your identity. — Put outgoing mail in your residential mailbox and keep your mailbox empty. Sign up for direct deposit and use online banking and bill pay to reduce the checks you send in the mail. — Fax credit applications. There is no security during the transmissions. — Give out financial information - your Social Security number, personal identification number (PIN), passwords or other personal credit information - to anyone on the phone unless you've initiated the call or know the party you're dealing with. ACCOUNT FRAUD PREVENTION TIPS — Protect your checking account number. — Report lost or stolen checks immediately to your financial services company. — Store new and canceled checks securely and always use tamper-resistant checks. — Guard your ATM and online passwords. Never write your ATM PIN number on your card or anything else that you carry with you. If you suspect that your identity has been stolen, immediately call your bank and credit card issuers so they can close your accounts and clear your name. Closing your account may be the only way to stop further fraud. Contact your local police to report identity theft. Also call the fraud unit of the three credit reporting companies: Trans Union (1-800-680-7289), Experian (1-888-397-3742) and Equifax (1-800-525-6285). They will place a "fraud alert" on your credit report so the perpetrator cannot apply for new credit in your name. Also call the Federal Trade Commission Identity theft Hotline at 1-877-438-4338 to notify them and get advice on how to proceed. Working in conjunction with your financial institution, these steps can help in safeguarding your identity and finances, ensuring you do not become the next victim. Paul Kendle is president of Wells Fargo Bank Green Bay.