Punishment for fraud and recovery of stolen funds is rare, so regard prevention as the best possible course of action. Take some basic steps to protect yourself against identity theft and check fraud.

Shred your personal documents.

Your rubbish can be a thief’s route to riches.

Use a criss-cross shredder for added efficiency – the tiny squares they produce are more difficult to use than thin paper strips of other shredders.

Protect your Social Security Number. Only give it to those who really need to know it: employers, credit grantors and schools. Don’t write it on the back of checks. If anyone else asks for your SSN, ask them why they need it, what they’ll use it for, and how they’ll keep it secure.

When financial statements, such as bank and credit card statements, arrive, check that they tally with purchases you have made. Before that, when you make purchases, keep a record of them.

Take a minimum of cards with you when you go out. Keep the rest securely locked up at home.

When you’re using your PC for personal information, do not use the same password for every different account. If you do, if one is discovered then they are all discovered. Use different passwords, keep a record of them and keep that record locked away securely.

Keep your personal belongings locked away at home – and at work, if necessary.

Think about your company’s security procedures. Are they adequate?

When sending personal documents through the post, wrap them up in neutral paper so that nothing can be read from them. Make sure they are not visible from the outside of the packaging.

Try not to put your outgoing mail in an unsecured mailbox. It is better to drop it at a post office or a locked postal box. And be wary of using a mailbox that is full. A full mailbox is much easier to take items from.

Try and use secure checks to prevent check fraud. These should include safety features such as controlled paper, thermochromatic ink, a true watermark, and toner anchorage on laser checks used in business.

When signing checks use a uni-ball 207 gel pen. The black ink is bold and has a pigment that absorbs into paper fibers.

Gus Taperman holds a Bachelor's degree in Commerce and completed his master's in Business Administration . He is working as writer and financial consultant to find a Personal loans, Debt consolidation, home equity loans at cheap rates visit www.taperman.com