 TITLE: What Is Identity Theft? CONTENT: How to Check for Identity Theft\n-------------------------------\nYou can't completely avoid the possibility that your identity may be stolen, but you can take action to spot potential fraud before it becomes a major problem.\nTo check for identity theft, keep an eye on your credit reports. While you can view each one for free every 12 months through AnnualCreditReport.com, you can view a summary of your reports more regularly through various free and paid credit monitoring services.\nAs you check your report, watch for tradelines that you don't recognize or remember opening. Also, keep an eye on your credit score—a sudden inexplicable drop can be a dead giveaway that something is wrong.\nHere are some other telltale signs that someone may have stolen your identity:\n*   You aren't receiving important mail such as bills or checks.\n*   You get bills for items you didn't order or statements for credit cards you didn't sign up for.\n*   You're denied credit, despite having an excellent credit rating.\n*   You have unauthorized bank transactions or withdrawals.\n*   You've received notice that your personal information may have been compromised in a data breach.\n*   Your electronic tax filing is denied.\n*   You receive unauthorized authentication messages by text or email for unknown accounts.\n*   You get an email from an organization that says your account has been recently accessed and it wasn't you.\n*   You receive a bill or an explanation of benefits for health care that you didn't seek. END