1. Disclose your Social Security number only when it is absolutely necessary. Don't have your Social Security number printed on your checks and don't permit your Social Security or credit card numbers to be handwritten on your checks.
  2. Thieves can easily pose as legitimate businesses. Never give out your  SSN, credit card number, or other personal information over the phone unless you have a trusted business relationship with the company.
  3. When creating passwords and PIN s, do not use the last four digits of your Social Security number, your mother's maiden name, your birth date, your middle name, your pet's name, consecutive numbers, or anything else that could easily be discovered or guessed by thieves
  4. When shopping, always take credit card receipts with you; never toss them in a public trash container.
  5. Return calls from Providian's Fraud Department promptly. They may have detected suspicious activity on your account that could mean someone has stolen your identity.
  6. Do not carry extra credit cards, your Social Security card, birth certificate, or passport with you unless necessary.
  7. Make photocopies of credit cards, bank account numbers, and investment account numbers and keep them in a SAFE place. Also, keep a list of phone numbers for customer service and fraud departments, so you can contact them quickly in case of theft or fraud.