Bob Baier. Photo by Roger Gavan

WARWICK - The National Foundation for Credit Counseling has just sponsored its second annual National Protect Your Identity Week late last month.

Last year, according to the Foundation’s Web site, nearly 10 million Americans fell victim to identity theft fraud, the top consumer complaint for the last five years in a row.

Warwick resident Bob Baier, author of “Identity Theft Prevention for the College Student,” offers practical and useful tips that everyone should follow to stay safe.

For example he suggests that you should limit the amount of confidential information you carry in your wallet or purse, particularly when traveling. And also limit the amount of information you have pre-printed on your checks. Naturally you must guard your social security number and never carry any card that displays it.

“It is the number one prize for the criminal,” said Baier.

By now most people understand that they should never respond to phone calls or emails asking to confirm your social security number, account number or any personal information whatsoever. Baier also suggests you change all of your passwords to at least 10 digits with upper and lower case letters, numbers and if allowed symbols such as an exclamation mark placed somewhere within the password and not at the end. And never use any part of your own first or last name, your mother’s maiden name, your pets name, your school or school mascot.

Baier is a forensic document examiner who testifies in court regarding forgeries and trains law enforcement in Orange County in seven different areas, one of which is identity theft.

Post a comment about this story. Be sure to include your name and email to submit a comment. Please note that email addresses are for internal use only and will not be displayed or shared. You can find a copy of our privacy policy in the terms of service link below. Name: Email: (optional) Comments: Current Word Count: Image Verification: (Case sensitive)    I agree that I have read the Terms of Service and agree to abide by them. Terms of Service Roger wrote on Nov 8, 2009 4:05 AM: " All types of fraud crimes will continue to grow in all sectors of the industry including internet unless banks exploit ID KEY system described on website www.xwave.co.uk which will deter fraud by making outdated signature and PIN systems reliable. Which other system will deter ATM fraud, identity fraud, mail order fraud etc. without even the need for us to protect our personal and card details including PIN? This shows that along with fraudsters courts should find banks liable for losses too for failing to implement this fraud deterring system. We hope banks will exploit proposed ID KEY system before it is too late to stop a fraud boom which will be far worse than credit crunch. "