[02ztsian]

The best defense to identity theft is to be pro-active as opposed to re-active.
1. Buy a shredder. Any personal information found in your garbage can be used to "steal" your identity.
2. NEVER let your credit card out of your site! How many times do we blindly hand over our credit card to a waiter(ess) and have them disappear to the back? And whenever someone gives you your card back, check to ensure they are giving yours back, not a stolen card issued by the same bank (looks the same till your next purchase when you find it's someone elses stolen card).
3. Every credit check counts against your credit rating, whether it's a pre-approval for a mortgage or co-signing a loan or a credit check.
4. Keep your birth certificate in a safe at home. (I should talk it's in my wallet!). Memorize your SIN and keep it in a safe as well. Just think what someone with both of these pieces of ID could do. Be aware of who can ask for your SIN:
http://www.privcom.gc.ca/fs-fi/02_05_d_02_e.asp
5. Listen to your Spider-sense. Learn to listen to your gut instinct. Be aware!