You'll additionally get a free copy of your credit report -- test it and keep in contact with the credit bureaus till they right any fraudulent charges or accounts you find there. Credit card corporations limit your legal responsibility on fraudulent purchases, and you'll dispute false expenses. A financial savings account that has no checks issued and is not linked to any debit card might be a lot tougher for a thief to achieve access to. If you retain a big amount of money in your principal checking account, then all that cash is vulnerable if someone steals your debit card or writes checks in your title. Whenever you ship mail, use secure, opaque envelopes so no one can learn account numbers or spot checks just by holding them as much as the sunshine. Only use ATMs in secure, well-lit places, and don't use the machine if somebody is standing too shut or looking over your shoulder.