Credit card theft is still the tried and tested route to stealing someone's identity. So keep those cards safe and have some form of card insurance. This should cost you no more than £15 per annum and, as long as you report the loss or theft within 24 hours, you should be covered against losses on the card.

Credit card slips are another route to getting details of your account and you should take care to destroy them before you throw them away. Do likewise with your utility bills, which can be used by a fraudster as proof of address. So shred - you can buy a home shredding machine from as little as £30. Take care too with your driving licence; this handy little card, if stolen, can be used as proof of identity. The police now advise you to carry it in a separate wallet to your credit cards. Cards + driving licence = identity theft.

If you think you may be the victim of identity theft, contact CIFAS – the Credit Industry Avoidance System – who will put your name on an alert file. If you want added protection, you could take a look at the websites of two companies Experian and Equifax. They can find out details of your credit reference files – which will show up any fraudulent applications on your file, as well as revealing details of why you may have been denied credit in the past (which could be interesting). They both offer a free 30-day trial, after which you will need to cough up £60 or so annual fee for the service. You can also buy identity protection from www.cpp.co.uk.

To find out more about the whole sorry business – log onto the government website: www.identity-theft.org.

Hope that helps!

Debbie