1. Replace your credit cards. Obtain new cards. Examine your next statements carefully. The federal Truth in Lending Act limits consumer liability for unauthorized charges to $50 as long as you contact the creditor in writing within 60 days of the date the bill was mailed. Ask and your credit card company may waive the $50 liability.

2. Replace your ATM and debit cards. Under federal law, your liability for unauthorized debits is limited to $50 if you contact the bank within 2 days of losing your debit card. You're liable for up to $500 if you wait as long as 60 days to report the fraud after receiving your bank statement. Beyond 60 days, you could be left holding the bag for whatever amount is withdrawn from your account. Banks can take up to 10 business days to provide provisional credit in cases of debit card fraud, although many provide the credit within 5 days. Vi As an added safeguard, some banks will put your photo on your bank card.

3. Close your checking account. If your account number or checks are in circulation, stop payment on the checks and close the account, and ask that a password be assigned to your new account. Don't use your Social Security number or your mother's maiden name as identifiers; both are often available in public records. Read your statement to make sure everything on it is yours.

4. Generally, state laws hold banks responsible for losses resulting from a forged check as long as you notify the bank promptly that your checks have been lost or stolen. You may have to wait anywhere from a few days to several weeks for reimbursement while bank investigators pursue the case.

5. If a store refuses to take your check because it says you bounced checks, ask which check-verification agency reported your name. Then contact that agency and ask what merchant reported a bad check in your name. You'll have to contact that merchant to set things straight.

6. Contact the major credit bureaus. Equifax (800-525-6285), Experian (888-397-3742) and TransUnion (800-680-7289) will send you a copy of your credit report. Review reports for unfamiliar transactions, and ask that you be contacted if someone tries to establish credit in your name. Experts recommend that you order new reports every few months for at least a year. One company, Intersection.com, will monitor the reports for you on a monthly basis.

7. Call the police. Ask for a crime report so you can attach it to letters you send to credit card companies and banks, or use it to help clear your name if someone commits a crime using your ID.

8. Run a background check on yourself. If crimes are being committed in your name, they'll show up on public records that prospective employers and creditors use to vet you. Get a report from a private investigator, or buy one from PrivacyScan.com.

9. Contact the Social Security administration. The SSA discourages fraud victims from applying for new Social Security numbers. Without your old number, prospective creditors and employers can't verify information about your past.

10. Identity thieves could use your Social Security number to establish an entirely new identity. To check your earnings statement, call 800-772-1213. Report any fraudulent activity by calling 800-269-0271. If you suspect someone of using your identification to violate tax laws, call the Internal Revenue Service at 800-829-0433.

11. Keep records. You should keep a written log of fraudulent transactions, along with an account of your efforts to straighten out the mess. The Federal Trade Commission provides forms and sample letters to creditors in the publication "ID Theft: When Bad Things Happen to Your Good Name," available on the FTC's Web site.

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