In America a person is considered innocent until proven guilty, but it can be just the opposite for someone whose history has been hijacked. Some victims spend years proving to credit bureaus and other financial institutions that ID theft took place. That's why it's so vital to protect identifiers, carefully monitor monthly financial statements and review credit reports every six months.

Some people joke that they are safe from ID theft because thieves only go after victims with good credit. Actually, people with bad credit or even people with no credit, such as children and the dead, aren't immune from this invasion of privacy.

Identity theft can be a nightmare. Victims have been turned down for credit, mortgages and even jobs because someone else ran their credit into the ground. And in a worst-case scenario, victims have been arrested for crimes committed by the thief. "It's scary," said Karen, a victim, "next to rape and murder, it's probably one of the most personal crimes that can be committed on you. It is you."

There are, however, some precautions people can take to minimize the chances of it happening: Information from the FTC and Postal Inspection Service)

• Limit the number of identifying cards you carry.

• Don't carry your Social Security number; leave it in a secure place.

• Give your SSN only when absolutely necessary. Ask to use other types of identifiers when possible.

• Before revealing any personal information, find out how it will be used and whether it will be shared with others.

• Pay attention to billing cycles. A missing credit card bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your credit card account and changed your billing address to cover his or her tracks.

• Guard mail from theft. Deposit outgoing mail in post office collection boxes or at the local post office. Promptly remove mail from your mailbox after delivery.

• Put passwords on credit card, bank and phone accounts. Avoid using easily available information like your mother's maiden name, your birth date, the last four digits of your SSN, your phone number or a series of consecutive numbers.

• Don't give out personal information on the phone, through the mail or over the Internet unless you initiated the contact or know with whom you're dealing.

• Keep items with personal information in a safe place. Shred sensitive information before tossing it in the trash.

• Be cautious about where you leave personal information in your home, especially if you have roommates, employ outside help or are having service work done in your home.

• Before revealing any personal information, find out how it will be used and whether it will be shared with others.

• Find out who has access to your personal information at work and verify that the records are kept in a secure location.

• Order a copy of your credit report from each of the three major credit reporting agencies every year. Checking your report on a regular basis can help you catch mistakes and fraud before they wreak havoc on your personal finances.