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Caroline

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Identity theft can happen to anyone. And at college, you're particularly vulnerable . You lock your apartment and your car, right? Your identity is much more valuable, so guard it just as carefully as you do your other possessions.

Here are some tips to keep your identity safe:

• Check your snail mail . Don't ignore your mailbox, even if you don't expect any mail. You may be receiving credit card offers or other mail that could be swiped by an identity thief. Check your mail every day.

• Watch your personal possessions. Studying in the library and need a break? Don't leave your backpack, laptop  and other personal items unattended.

• Keep a skinny wallet. If you lose your wallet, you'll need to cancel any credit cards immediately, so the fewer you carry, the better. And don't keep your Social Security card in your wallet at all. Make a photocopy of the cards in your wallet, and stash the copies in a safe — you'll be able to cancel them in a flash if need be.

• Shred, shred, shred. Don't just toss junk mail and other paperwork with personal information on it. Identity thieves are notorious for raiding garbage cans. Invest in a paper shredder and use it liberally.

• Check your bank and credit card statements closely. Whether you rely on hard copy or online statements, check them regularly for suspicious activity.

• Get a copy of your credit report  annually, for free. Again, you want to check for any suspicious activity, such as name or address changes, or accounts you don't recognize.

These are just a few ideas. Got any other tips or personal experiences to share?

Karen

Mid-summer, as I was blissfully reading email, I received three order confirmations from iTunes  thanking me for my gift card order.

"Wait!" I thought to myself, "I haven't placed any iTunes orders!" I tried to stay calm, but there was that little voice in my head saying, "Someone stole your credit card!"

I learned that it's hard to dial a customer service number when your hands are trembling, but I managed to do it. The nicest Wells Fargo customer service person answered the phone and walked me through all the pending transactions on my account, and at least five of them were purchases I had not made.

The representative noticed I was starting to get nervous again and assured me that I had nothing to worry about. After all, I have the WellsProtect® program built into my Wells Fargo credit card. This free program comes with all Wells Fargo credit cards and automatically protects the cardholder from liability for fraud and theft when reported promptly.

The representative closed my account and explained that a new account number would be set up for me. All I had to do was sign an affidavit  of forgery, which was mailed to me a few days later, and return it to have the charges that were not mine removed.

Everything that the Wells Fargo representative explained to me was exactly how it went. I received a new card in the mail. A few days later, I received the affidavit and returned it to Wells Fargo, and then my fraudulent charges were removed from my account.

I wonder what happened to the charges, or if the culprit was ever caught?

Now I'm a little bit more cautious about shopping online with my card, but knowing that the WellsProtect® program is always going to be there for me, I'm not going to let that stop me!

Staci

Last week, we commemorated Get Smart About Credit Day. This week, we're calling attention to a related event: National Protect Your Identity Week .

Spearheaded by the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, this initiative is designed to bring identity theft awareness and prevention programs to consumers in communities across the country.

Has your identity ever been stolen — even just a small piece of it? Mine has, and it was a maddening experience. A credit card that I hadn't used in a long time started accruing random charges for teenage clothing in New York and sports equipment in Texas. I didn't know that the charges were happening until I received a bill for thousands of dollars.

It took a lot of convincing before the credit card company (not Wells Fargo) would believe that the charges weren't mine, and frankly, their representatives weren't very helpful or empathetic. Countless phone calls, notarized fraud affidavits, and a freeze on my credit report later, I resolved the situation in a matter of months — fortunately with no damage to my credit rating.

Others haven't been as lucky. In fact, one of my high school girlfriends had her name, birth date, and Social Security number stolen by a former coworker. My friend used the experience to start her own nonprofit organization, the Identity Theft Action Council of Nebraska . Now she educates others about the crime of identity theft, helps victims put their lives back together, and shapes federal and state legislation. She's amazing!

Later in the week, Karen will tell her own personal story of fraudulent credit card usage, and Caroline will share some tips for identity theft prevention. Stay tuned.

David

A few weeks ago, I watched the protests around the Olympic torch  with quite a bit of interest. You see, I had already booked and paid for a family trip to Beijing to see the Olympics  this August!

This is something that we had planned on for some time, and we had saved up for this trip over the last couple of years. We even cut back on vacation plans in 2007 to make sure we had enough money set aside for the trip. Generally I am very careful with my money, but I knew that for a once-in-a-lifetime experience like this, I would find a way to make it work!

Before I leave for China, there is one important thing I will do: I will call my credit card issuer and let them know that I am traveling overseas. Credit card companies monitor cardholders' transactions for suspicious activity — this way, they can detect any fraudulent card usage quickly and protect their cardholders by shutting down their card. Transactions in a foreign country are sometimes a red flag for this monitoring, so I will let them know not to shut down my card due to purchases being made in China.

So, barring any unforeseen circumstances, my family and I will be cheering on Team USA  in person this August!

Anyone out there planning to join us?

Barbara

I have a shameful story to share. It's shameful because I pride myself on being financially responsible...and passing on tips of financial responsibility to you readers.

About a month ago, while standing at the Younkers  counter about to purchase some new dress shoes  (on clearance, of course), I noticed an important piece of plastic was missing from my wallet. My debit card was nowhere to be found! I sifted through all my "frequent patron" cards and each pocket, but the card wasn't there. So, I handed an alternate method of payment to the cashier (who was quite patient with me given the circumstances) and started to freak out a little.

I retraced my steps and realized the last time I'd used my debit card was to purchase petrol  and a car wash several days earlier.

The steps went like this: Grabbed the card, swiped it, and started pumping the gas. Car wash? Pressed yes. Hopped in the car and set my card on the passenger seat (first mistake). Drove to the car wash entry and entered my code. Looked at the card on the passenger seat and thought "I should put that away before I lose it." (Famous last words.) This is when my memory trail went cold. Did I follow through? I couldn't recall.

So the next day, after searching my car, house, and person up and down to no avail, I relented and called to cancel my card and request a new one.

Even though I'm full of shame, I still have three quick tips related to my situation (please don't take them with a grain of salt!):

• Keep a handy list of contact information for all your financial service providers

• Know how to protect yourself  if your card is lost or stolen

• Take precautions to avoid identity theft

Since I had performed such a thorough search for the lost card, I was sure I could've been susceptible to identity theft. I imagined my poor card lying in the middle of the road, just waiting to be snatched up.

Turns out I had no reason to worry: Just last week I found my old debit card in a pair of pants I rarely wear. Fantastic. My card really needed a stunt double!

Anyone out there have a shameful story of your own that turned out better or worse than mine?

Karen

In my first post, I mentioned the trials and tribulations my son has had to experience by not being a part of the "Wii"  crowd.

As the holidays approach, my son reminds me almost daily of how great it would be to get a Wii for Christmas. My husband and I decided that if we could find one, given that these tend to become almost like Where's Waldo  around the holidays, we would get it.

Yesterday, my husband called me to announce that he is the "best dad ever" since he found and purchased a Wii. Whew — checking that off the shopping list right now!

So we were surprised when Wells Fargo contacted us last night. Why were they calling? To ask if we had made a recent purchase using our Wells Fargo card, since it was a purchase we didn't normally make. Wow, that's looking out for us! We verified that the purchase was one we made and thanked the representative for checking in.

Although I know Wells Fargo has many services to protect my accounts, it's still reassuring to know that they're working hard to make sure my money is safe.

Dinna

Recently I got a call from my credit card company asking me about some unusual charges. Since it was on a card that I have for emergencies and knew hadn't been used in quite some time, I knew that someone was committing fraud with my account.

I was infuriated. How could this happen? I checked my wallet right away and my card was still inside. The customer service rep on the other line explained that there are many ways that people find to commit fraud.

Fortunately, I was told I would not be responsible for any of the charges. My account was closed, and I was given a new account number and sent a new plastic card. I also had to fill out an affidavit stating for the record that none of the charges made were authorized by me. The affidavit had to be returned to my credit card company within a specified timeframe in order to keep the status of the charges as fraud.

Although I am hopeful my situation will be resolved quickly (and without impacting my credit history ), it still highlights the importance of being vigilant with your card to help avoid fraud. Here are a few "Credit Card Safety Tips" pulled from Hands on Banking®, Wells Fargo's free money management education program:

1. Keep your card in a safe place. Never leave your credit card lying around—particularly in communal living situations like dorms—and protect your credit card number as much as possible.
   
   
2. Don't let anyone else use your card. No matter how much you trust someone (including boy/girlfriends and roommates) you are ultimately responsible for any activity on your card. Avoid conflicts over misuse by never sharing your credit cards.
   
   
3. Report your lost or stolen card immediately. If you misplace your card or suspect that you have been the victim of theft, contact your credit card issuer right away. They may be able to freeze your account and begin the process of correcting any charges that may have occurred without your consent.
   
   
4. Save receipts and compare them with your statements. Be sure to monitor your account often to ensure that all activity on your card was actually authorized by you! Most issuers provide online access to your account, so sign up and make a habit of logging on frequently. If you notice any suspicious transactions, contact your card issuers immediately to begin the process of resolving the suspected fraud.

Finally, you might want to contact your credit card issuer to see what tools are available to help you combat fraud on your account. At Wells Fargo you can set up email alerts that will notify you of unusually high activity on your card—this simple "heads-up" could be a potential fraud-prevention tool!

Credit card fraud is a serious issue, but following a few proactive steps can help you avoid its damaging consequences. If you have any tips on how to avoid or recognize credit card fraud, or if credit card fraud has happened to you, share your thoughts.