The other day, my wife and her sister went out shopping for my soon to be arriving nephew or niece (my sister-in-law is pregnant).  When they got home, my sister-in-law realized that one of her debit cards were missing.  I must have left it in the car she thought, so she and my wife went digging around her mini-van looking for the card.  It was no where to be found.  My wife took her online and low and behold, within hours of losing her card, there were 2 charges pending on her account with an online electronics store (one of the big ones).  Fortunately, she was able to cancel the transaction, the card, and had one sent back to her within a few days.  She was lucky.  Most people don't realize this until it's too late.  Here's a few tips to prevent this and other preventative measures you can use to protect yourself from having others destroy your credit:

1)  Keep track of your credit cards, debit cards, and Social Security Cards and keep them in a safe place.  Only carry the cards with you if you know you are going to utilize them.  Otherwise keep them safely locked up. 

2)  Only give your out Social Security Number when it is absolutely necessary.  Also, don't have your SSN preprinted on checks.

3)  Be wary of telemarketers and online companies requesting your information.  Never give out your SSN, Credit Card information, or other personal information unless you trust who you are dealing with.

4)  When creating PIN numbers and passwords, do not use easily identifiable digits such as your:  social security number, birthdate, drivers license number, middle name, mother's maiden name, consecutive numbers, or anything that will be easy to determine like 1111 or 1234.  Also, be sure to use alpha and numeric text if possible when setting them up.

5)  Never throw away credit card receipts or anything that has any identifying information in a public trash receptacle.

6)  If you have lost or misplaced your cards, call and have them canceled immediately.  It's better to be safe than sorry.

7)  Beware of emails that ask you to contact them via an online site to verify your account information.  These phishing sites take your information, and look just like the real establishments website.  If you are concerned about your account, contact the company via phone or use the website you've personally used before.

8)  Shred Everything!  Any information that you deem is important or can be used for identity theft should be shredded before being thrown away.  This includes bank statements, credit card receipts and statements, bills, insurance forms, and any and all literature that may have any information you find important.

I hope this helps keep you safe and allows you to be better protected.