All Americans are entitled to a free credit report once a year. There are many sites and services being advertised that allow you to obtain your credit report. However, there is only one site that is authorized by the Free Credit Report Program and that is:

annualcreditreport.com

You can order your reports over the phone, online, or through the mail. If you order online, you can download them over a secure link and view them immediately.

Ordering online is simple. First you visit the Annual Credit Report site and enter your information. Then select which agencies you’d like to get a report from (select all 3!). When that is completed, the Annual Credit Report will bump you over to each site one by one to sign in and view your report for free.

A couple notes about the process. Some will ask you to further verify some information about yourself, based on information in your credit report. Simple questions that you should only know the answers to like who is your mortgage or car loan with, how much do you pay, etc. After that step, just about all of the agencies will want to sell you additional reports. If you’d like to see your credit score, that will cost you a few extra dollars. If you’d just like to see your credit report, go ahead and skip the additional offers and continue through. You are not obligated to buy those.

After you’re in, review the information and dispute any incorrect information. All of the agencies tend to have a link or tools to do so. When you’re done with one agency, click the specified link to go back to Annual Credit Report and hit the next agency.

Finally, your free reports will only be available for about a month or so. Be sure to print them all out and save them for your records if you’d like to keep them. Be sure to have a good amount of paper handy, especially if you have a lot of information in your report. All the agencies offer printer-friendly versions of your report, but some will use up more paper than others. I think Equifax is the worst as their format spit out a whopping 27 pages for my personal report. Experian clocked in at 15 pages while Transunion printed 9.

Nonetheless, good information to look over and it’s available for free right now. Once again, that site is annualcreditreport.com

To keep your passwords unknown—and unknowable—follow these pointers:

Do combine parts of two unusual unrelated words, such as gastrocumulus or cytoplasticity. The longer and stranger the better.

Do mix capital and lowercase characters, as well as symbols and numbers, in the middle of the password: f2reeDoMeYe#wTness, not freedomeyewitness.

Do use words from a foreign language in combo with an English word. Many hackers try to crack passwords with common words, or with those pooled from the dictionary database of a single language.

Don’t use anything that can be easily guessed by neighbors, co-workers or strangers who get their hands on your wallet—a nickname, child’s name, pet’s name, or your favorite sports team or hobby.

Don’t use slightly different versions of the same password on different websites, such as ABCebay, ABCmortgage or and ABCvisa.

Don’t pair a common word or your name with a different character at the beginning or end, such as $user or johnsmith7.

Don’t use the same password from one application to another. “It’s fine to have a simple, short password on a news website,” says Dr. Tygar. “But use a different, longer, more complicated password on a site with sensitive information.”

Identity theft continues to rise. The latest numbers say that about 30 million people will be a victim of Identity theft in America alone. It’s the fastest growing type of fraud in the marketplace and the number one consumer complaint in North America.

ID theft happens when someone uses someone else’s identification documents or other identifiers in order to impersonate that person for whatever reason including financial fraud and criminal activities.

Quick Tips

• Buy and use a shredder. Cross cut shredders are the best and can be found at many stores for around $15.
• Cut up expired or unused credit cards. Or shred them if you have a shredder.
• Carry only the ID you will need that day.
• Never carry your Social Security card in your wallet.
• It’s good to have two wallets. One for your everyday use and a second at home containing things like your Social Security card, bank and credit cards that are currently not being used.
• Don’t enter too much personal information on internet forms. Look for a lock at the bottom of the browser indicating
• Lock your household mailbox, especially if it’s near a sidewalk.
• Don’t leave personal information lying around.
• Don’t give personal information unless you know for sure who they are. This is especially true for your Social Security number.
• Don’t put more than your name and address on personal checks.
• Destroy old vehicle registration certificates and return expired or unused license plates.
• Protect your computer with a password that is a combination of upper and lowercase letters, numbers and symbols.
• Use a firewall computer program especially if you use a high-speed internet connection.
• Install virus protection software.
• Be careful when opening Email from strangers.
• Don’t send personal or confidential information over email.
• Make sure deleted information is really gone before disposing of old computers. Remove the hard drive from the case and take a hammer to it if you no longer have a use for it.
• Once a year get a copy of your credit report from at least two major credit bureaus. There are also many credit monitoring services that will alert you of suspicious activity and send you monthly reports.
• Make a note of credit card or bank statements that don’t arrive as usual. A thief may have changed the address.
• Keep credit card, debit and ATM receipts.
• Be wary of mail, telephone or internet promotions asking for your personal information.
• Try to memorize your passwords and pin numbers.

Following these basic steps will greatly reduce your chances of being an identity theft victim.