Liberty Bank (ARA) - Identity theft remains "one of the hottest scams around," according to William J. Smigiel, CEO of Liberty Bank, a Chicago bank that works with retail and lending customers. "The real risks of identity theft are closer to home than you might think."

The 2010 Identity Fraud Survey Report confirms that there were more victims of this crime than in any period since the survey began in 2003 - and many of these crimes are perpetrated by people who know the victim. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that more than 9 million Americans were victims of identity fraud last year and it's possible other cases have gone unreported.

Protect yourself. Sources of ID theft which you may have some control over include:

* Lost or stolen wallet, checkbook or credit card - 30 percent of cases

* Fraudulent business transactions, employee theft - 28 percent of cases

* Friends, acquaintances, relatives or in-home employees - 15 percent of cases

* Stolen paper mail or fraudulent change of address - 8 percent of cases

* Computer viruses, spyware or hackers - 5 percent of cases

* Phishing scams online - 3 percent of cases

* Garbage, dumpster diving - 1 percent of cases

* Miscellaneous, other - 10 percent of cases

What is your best protection against identity theft? "Don't share your Social Security or account numbers," says the Chicago bank CEO. "Even though we're a friendly community financial institution, we're continually educating our customers to be proactive. Shred sensitive documents you no longer need and keep an eye on your wallet." Free information is available on the bank's Web site.

"Chicago banks aren't the only financial institutions warning customers about increasing identity fraud, says Jim Larranaga, president of Priority Integrated Marketing, a consulting firm that helps educate consumers about personal finance. "We work with more 100 financial institutions on how to educate account holders about personal finance, and identity theft has been the most popular topic for the past three years."

Use caution when disclosing information to strangers
The 2010 U.S. Census is being conducted this spring and summer, and once again census workers count every person in the country and collect information about every resident, including name, age, gender and race.

"Gathering this information can be a challenge," says Janis Ekl, senior vice president of Liberty Bank. "The high number of foreclosures has forced a lot of people to move." The census officially runs from April through July, when you're likely to see census workers going door-to-door in some neighborhoods.

You're required by law to provide the requested information to the Census Bureau either by phone, mail or a personal visit to your residence - but it's important to be cautious when providing your personal information to someone you don't know.

Knowing the details of the official census can help you avoid being scammed:

* You may be contacted by phone, mail or in person by the U.S. Census Bureau.

* You will not be contacted by e-mail. Never open an e-mail or click on a link that claims to be from the Census Bureau.

* Census workers who visit homes will carry a badge, handheld device, canvas tote and confidentiality agreement.

* Request to see the visitor's identification and badge before providing information.

* A census worker will never request your Social Security number, bank account information or credit card numbers.

* Census workers will never ask for donations.

* Information provided to the census is confidential

The information you provide for the census is protected by federal law, so you can rest assured that your data will remain confidential. The Census Bureau will never publish or share your private information with anyone, including other government agencies or courts.

Courtesy of ARAcontent