Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information to commit fraud or theft.  Arizona is one of the highest ranking states for ID theft complaints. Here are some tips on how to prevent identity theft:

1. Never provide any personal information to any person on the phone, internet, or mail, especially if you never asked to receive it. 

2. Secure and protect all personal information and records.

3. Shred all important personal documents including bank statements, credit card statements, credit card offers, or any other paperwork that contains your date of birth or social security number. 

4. Ensure that your credit report reflects your personal information accurately.  If there are unexplained charges or accounts, take immediate action by reporting it to the three credit bureaus, all of the creditors, and your local police.  

5. Be aware of popular scams such as, Phishing scams. To learn about more popular scams, go to the Federal Trade Comission website.

To avoid being a victim of identity theft, or believe that you are a victim of identity theft, visit the following Websites for more information:

Attorney General Website

 www.consumer.gov

www.ftc.gov

www.privacyrights.org