Identity theft, a very real threat to consumers, has been addressed in this column several times. Identity theft is estimated to affect 9 million Americans each year.

The recent stunning news that 26.5 million U.S. veterans have had their personal information stolen might have negative financial ramifications for these Americans for decades into the future. Federal officials say the cost of investigating this crime and taking steps to minimize damage will be more than $100 million and by some experts as high as a half-billion dollars.

If the perpetrators of this crime knew what they were stealing, they could wholesale the information in blocks of 100,000 or so names to other bad guys who would further break and sell the lists online and so on down the criminal food chain, not unlike a piranha feeding frenzy. The end buyer may wait years before tapping into the financial accounts of the veteran victims, waiting for the dust to settle and veterans’ financial vigilance to wane.

Hopefully, this was a random burglary and the original perpetrator is unsophisticated and does not realize the value of the computer information that was stolen. Regardless of the outcome of this case, the mere fact that nearly one in 10 Americans have had their financial identities compromised is extremely troubling.

Perhaps it should be said that first and foremost, the government needs to develop, implement and vigorously enforce policies and practices of handling and securing the identities of its citizens. But individual consumers would do well to remember that identity protection begins at home.

Here are just a few tips to help keep your resources in your pocket. Memorize your Social Security number and keep the original in a secure, locked place. Also remember your personal identification numbers, change them frequently, and do not use the same PIN for all your accounts. Do not share these numbers with anyone. Do not give personal information over the phone unless you well know and trust the business or individual. For Internet purchases use only encrypted, secure and well-known sites. Most reputable firms give an e-mail acknowledgement of your purchases. Do not have your driver’s license number or your Social Security number (or any other unnecessary information) printed on your checks.

If anyone calls you to ask for personal information, be very suspicious. Ask for a number to call them back. Write down that number. Most bad guys hang up at this point. Even if you are given a number to call back, do not give out your information over the phone.

Buy and use a good cross-cut paper shredder that makes confetti pieces, not the strip kind. Shred any materials that might have your identifying information on them, (credit card offers, utility bills, credit card slips, etc.)

This theft of veterans’ personal information has been very unsettling. Ongoing vigilance and safe practices by the consumer are the best first lines of defense against this crime.

Consumer Forum is a collaboration of the Bangor Daily News and Northeast CONTACT for Better Business Inc., Maine’s membership-funded, nonprofit organization and America’s oldest consumer advocacy agency of its kind, established in 1972. For help, write to Consumer Forum, Bangor Daily News, P.O. Box 1329, Bangor 04402-1339, or e-mail consumerhelp@

bangordailynews.net.