The best way to determine if you have become a victim of identity fraud is to monitor your accounts and bank statements each month, and check your credit report on a regular basis. For more information, visit www.ftc.gov and click on the “avoid ID theft” button. Common signs of ID fraud:Red flag — Bill collection agencies contact you for overdue debts that aren’t yours.

Red flag—You apply for a mortgage or car loan and learn that problems with your credit history are holding up the loan.

Red flag — You get mail about an apartment you never rented, a house you never bought, or a job you never held.

How to monitor for identity fraud
If you feel that ordering and reviewing your three credit reports only once a year isn’t enough to catch ID fraud, consider subscribing to an ID fraud prevention and detection service. Among the choices:

www.idsecure.com \ www.intelius.com \ www.identityguard.com

Identity stolen? Steps to take

If after reviewing your credit reports you suspect you are the victim of identity fraud, take the following steps:

■ Report the crime.
File a report with the police and keep a copy. The paperwork will make it easier to prove your case to creditors and merchants and may help you in a lawsuit if you have to sue to recover losses or clear your name later.

■ File a complaint.
The Federal Trade Commission investigates interstate and Internet fraud. Download a copy of an ID theft affidavit from www.ftc.gov to help you notify merchants, financial institutions and credit bureaus. For fraud involving stolen mail, also file a complaint with postal officials.

■Alert bureaus. Call each of the three major credit-reporting bureaus — Equifax (800-525-6285), Experian (888-397-3742), and TransUnion (800-680-7289) — for addresses and reporting instructions.

■ Flag accounts.
Ask credit bureaus to flag accounts with a fraud alert that asks merchants not to grant new credit without your approval. Keep copies of all your correspondence.

■ Mop up.
Notify banks, creditors, and utilities. Close accounts that have been used by thieves. Choose new passwords and PINs for all your accounts and don’t use your mother’s maiden name as a password. Notify merchants that issued credit or accepted bad checks in your name; use your police report or FTC affidavit as backup.

■ Revisit reports.
Order and review your credit report each year. Some victims say that it took years to clear their credit files and that new credit was sometimes granted in their names without permission even after fraud alerts were placed on their accounts.

■ Stay informed.
For more information, visit the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center at www.idtheftcenter.org and the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse at www.privacyrights.org.