Identity theft prevention and 1 million dollar guarantee...

Services like LifeLock provide an extra level of protection against identity theft. Beyond that, the best thing you can do is to take simple, commonsense precautions in everyday life. Here are five of the most useful identity theft prevention tips.

Keep Your Books

The easiest way to tell if someone else has been using your bank or credit services is to stay on top of your bills. Keep a basic set of books to track bills, checks, withdrawals, credit card payments and automatic transactions. This not only helps with everyday household finances, but gives you a heads up if something looks out of the ordinary.

Never Share Information over Email

You would think people have figured it out by now, but no legitimate institution ever requires you to send financial information over email.Even if you get email that you're 100% sure is from your financial institution, go to its web site or your local branch to send information. If you choose the web, go to the site yourself. Do not click on email links, even if you think they lead to your institution. Scam emails regularly fake just that sort of thing, right down to tricking your web browser into thinking a dangerous link goes to your bank.

Leave Your Plastic at Home

Insteadof taking a full wallet everywhere you go, only take the credit cards, ATM cards and ID that you actually plan to use. Put everything else in an out of the way but easy to remember spot at home.Pickpockets and muggers don't just steal cash any more. They'll also sell your ID and other cards to ID thieves. Plus, remember that for small purchases, there's nothing wrong with cash! If you're only going to spend about 20 bucks when you go out, take bills with you. You'll lose a lot more when someone takes a wallet that doesn't have cash, but is full of your personal plastic.

Guard Your PIN

They put those warning stickers and shields on debit machines for a reason. Physically guard your PIN from view whenever you use a debit machine or ATM. Memorize your PIN so you can enter it quickly and smoothly, without ever having to write it down. Lastly, avoid using machines in unfamiliar locations. Some ID theft scams start with crooked store employees.

Save and Shred

Don't put intact bank statements, credit card offers, ATM/debit slips, receipts or old bank and credit cards in the trash Take them with you or destroy them with a thorough shredding. This even applies to your home trash. Don't put any financial information in the garbage without tearing it to pieces that nobody could possibly tape back together. Get a small paper shredder for your home. Destroy anything you don't need for record keeping promptly, especially old credit cards and ATM cards.

Credit Report: A detailed report of an individual's credit history prepared by a credit bureau and used by many financial institutions to determine an applicant's creditworthiness. Reports include, Personal Data (current and previous addresses, social security number, employment history), Summary of credit history (number and type of accounts that are past-due or in good standing), Detailed account information, Inquires into applicant's credit history, Details of any accounts turned over to credit agency, lastly information on how to dispute any of the previous information.

Credit Freeze: Today many states have given consumers the ability to "freeze" their credit, which restricts any access to his or her credit report. This includes any companies, creditors, or third parties who may be trying to gain access for any reason, until you temporarily lift the freeze. This allows means any fraudulent activity would not be able to occur. Using this method does not negatively affect your credit nor keep you from obtaining a free copy of your report, or score. If you are curious about your specific states guidelines on Credit Freezing click here.

Phishing: Pertaining to computing, phishing is a way of frequently swindling sensitive information, from usernames, passwords, addresses, credit cards by perpetrating a reputable or trustworthy entity (i.e. Banks, Myspace, Pay Pal, Credit Card companies etc). Or at times simply using pop up messages, IM messages asking for specific information for specific companies or directing the users to false websites.

Peer-to-peer (P2P) file-sharing: Allows users to share files online through an informal network of computers using similar or like software (i.e. Napster, Limewire, Morpheus). These services can open doors to a mass of information by allowing users to contact multiple users at once on a single file. Normally associated with downloaded copyrighted material but is sometimes embedded with malware, viruses and pornography.

Picture this, you have just had a long day of shopping and decide to take a break for a relaxing lunch. On your way to go pay you look inside your purse, or feel in your back pocket, and your wallet is not there. Immediately, your heart rate sky rockets and you begin to panic. Your thoughts race to all the places you have been that day and rush to backtrack the trail hoping that some "reasonable" person might have safeguarded all your financial access and information.

Guess what?

You never have to worry again if you lose your wallet. All the stress and panic can be avoided with a new service that LifeLock provides: WalletLock.

WalletLock is a unique service that LifeLock provides for its customers.

If you ever lose your wallet all you need to do is call LifeLock and they will transfer you to a certified Recovery Specialist that will help you:

* Identify all the missing documents
* Contact your credit, bank or document issuing company while you are on the phone
* Fill out the paperwork and request new replacements
* Cancel all your cards, licenses, and documents including: social security cards, insurance cards, passports, checkbooks and travelers checks
* Contact the police to initiate the fraud affidavit for stolen documents
* They also arrange all the follow up and resolution calls as well

Lifelock is a great company that is very proactive to prevent any Identity theft before it occurs. With Identity theft happening every 10 seconds, it's comforting to know that LifeLock can guarantee your good name.