A great way to keep tabs on your identity, and find out FAST if someone is opening or accessing accounts or credit cards in your name, is by checking your credit report.

You can do it for free! Each of the nationwide consumer reporting companies is required to provide you with a free copy of your credit report, at your request, once every 12 months, from www.annualcreditreport.com.

Tip: Since you get one free report from each of the 3 bureaus per year, do not request them all at once. Spread them out, since you then get three free "snapshots" of your credit per year.

Check your report carefully to make sure it is accurate. If you do find any inaccurate information, you should check your reports from the other two credit bureaus.

Note: If your personal information HAS been lost or stolen, you should check all of your reports more frequently for the first year.