Turn on your monitoring activities. You have probably heard this before, but it is the one thing that you can do right now and it's free. Monitor EVERY account that you have, and do it OFTEN.
Monitor Credit Card Activity Watch your credit card account activity carefully (WEEKLY). There are some identity thieves that are stealing small dollar amounts (between $6 and $12) out of thousands of accounts. You might be surprised at the number of people who refuse to do anything about that small amount. At least have your credit card number changed so that it does not happen again. In fact, change your credit card number every several months to help keep you from being a victim.
Monitor Checking and Savings Watch the activities on your checking and savings accounts (EVERY FEW DAYS). Avoid giving out your bank routing number and checking/savings account numbers to creditors. If you pay with your credit card number, it can be turned off and a new one issued with little interruption to you. Getting a new checking and saving accounts are major hassles.
Monitor Credit Reports Performing a weekly check of your credit report is too much overkill. But, depending on your comfort level, a quarterly check is definitely not overkill. At the very least, an annual check is mandatory.
Remember, this is your financial health we are speaking about, and your money is at stake. The bad things that can happen to you not only include incredible inconveniences, but also loss of money that will be almost impossible to replace. The old adage of "an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure" applies.
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