SAN FRANCISCO (AP) —Criminals stole personal information from tens of millions of Americans in data breaches this past year. Of those affected, one in three may become victims of identity theft, according to research firm Javelin. Whether shopping, banking or going to the hospital, Americans are mostly at the mercy of companies to keep their sensitive details safe. But there are steps you can take to protect yourself against the financial, legal and emotional impact of identity theft—and most of them are free:
AS A RULE:
•Closely guard your social security numbers—and those of your children—as well as credit and debit card information and account passwords.
•Shred unneeded financial records and credit offers.
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