We all understand how important it is to protect you identity, but sometimes even the most careful of us can fall prey to increasingly equipped identity criminals. If you feel your identity may have been compromised, then here are the steps you should follow:

*Get in touch with credit card companies, banks, eBay, PayPal or similar organisations to let them know you think you have been compromised and ask what you can do. Be specific about what has happened and do anything they ask,

* Contest any payments you believe to be unauthorized on any of your accounts. You may have a fight on your hand, but at least you have taken the first step to resolving the problem.

* Advise the police so they can begin an investigation of any criminal activity.

*Cancel your credit cards and get them replaced with new card numbers.

* Change all PIN numbers and passwords. This may stop your accounts being hijacked completely if they may have been compromised.

* If you have lost documents like your driver’s license, passport or social security card- get them replaced.

* Scan your computer for spyware or viruses and change all account passwords.

* Make a file of all correspondence and evidence relating to the alleged identity theft that you can produce if needed.

They always say that prevention is the best cure, one way to prevent identity theft is to enroll with a company like Lifelock.  More about Lifelock here.