Don't let Christmas become beginning of a nightmare

Few times of year are busier than the holidays, but amid all the hustle and bustle don't let your guard down.

When you pull out your debit card or credit card, make sure you're not giving your identity away along with the payment.

The danger came home Tuesday, when the McCook Police Department reported an especially dangerous attempt at identity theft.

According to the account, a JC Penney customer reported being telephoned twice by a persistent person claiming to be conducting a customer survey for the business. The caller wanted the customer's personal and account information as part of the survey.

Thankfully, the customer was suspicious of the call, and did not provide any account information. We wonder how many calls had different results, and went unreported.

JC Penney's does not conduct customer surveys over the telephone, and officials making any legitimate business calls would already have the customer's account information and would not need to ask for or verify it.

Unfortunately, there is no end to the creativity of criminals searching for new ways to rip you off.

The U.S. Department of Justice offers the following tips:

* Shred and destroy unwanted documents that contain personal information.

* Bring your mail in daily -- don't leave mail in your mailbox.

* Immediately report lost or stolen credit cards.

* Review and monitor your consumer credit reports regularly.

* Don't carry your Social Security card or birth certificate -- keep them tucked away in a safe place.

* Keep an eye out for your monthly financial statements, and check with your financial institutions when they don't arrive on time.

* Double check your statements and make sure all charges are yours.

* Keep your ATM and debit card receipts; don't discard them at the machine.

* Shred every piece of mail containing personal and financial information.

* Keep track of important account numbers, expiration dates and telephone numbers.

* Don't use obvious numbers like your social security number, mother's maiden name or birthdate for PIN numbers or passwords.

* Consider making your telephone number unlisted, or listed without your address.

If you think your identity may be at risk, or if you want to be extra careful, consider "freezing" your credit report to make it nearly impossible for someone else to open a credit account in your name. You can temporarily lift the security freeze if you want to open an account of your own. You can contact the three national credit bureaus to find out how.

With a few precautions, this holiday season will become a happy memory and not the beginning of a nightmare.