Help protect your employees and customers from identity theft. This customizable policy, written by Scott Matteson for TechRepublic Premium, outlines precautions for reducing risk, signs to watch out for, and steps to take if you suspect identity theft has occurred.

While such misfortune may not be 100% preventable for everyone who follows these guidelines (since identity theft can still occur through negligence or lack of awareness on the part of the victim), these steps will help educate personnel and reduce the risk of employee or customer data becoming compromised.

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  SAFEGUARD YOUR OWN INFORMATION

  Memorize your social security number and keep it safely locked away at home. If you must carry personal information with you, ensure it is electronic and kept in encrypted format.

  Ensure physical mail is collected as soon as possible. When traveling or on vacation, ask to temporarily stop delivering your mail or have a neighbor retrieve it for you. This will help prevent any credit cards or personal details from being stolen.

  Always verify the identity and authenticity of external individuals and agencies that ask for confidential information. Ensure it is done so securely.

  Check social media sites you use on a regular basis to ensure no duplicate accounts matching your identity have been created. Report any such accounts as fraudulent to the site administrators and request that these be removed.

Enhance identity theft protection with our 10-page document. This is available for download at just $49. Alternatively, enjoy complimentary access with a Premium annual subscription.

TIME SAVED: Crafting this content required 20 hours of dedicated writing, editing, research, and design.