 TITLE: Safe Online Shopping for the Holidays and Beyond CONTENT: Monitor Your Credit and Identity\n--------------------------------\nKeep a close eye on your credit to make sure nothing suspicious is happening—during and after the holidays. Identity thieves may try to run up fraudulent charges on your existing accounts or open new accounts in your name and run up a balance they leave for you to deal with.\n*   **Set up free credit monitoring.** Free credit monitoring with Experian lets you access your regularly updated credit score and report, and can alert you when changes occur to your credit file. This may be especially helpful during the busy, fraught holiday season, but it's also a good idea throughout the year. You'll spot potential problems with your credit file quickly and be able to address them more quickly.\n*   **Report suspicious activity or identity theft.** If you think you are the victim of identity theft, contact the card issuer or bank directly using the number listed on the back of your card. You may also want to file a report with the FTC, notify credit bureaus and place a lock on your credit. Getting identity theft protection now can help you navigate this process if you ever need to. END