Armed Forces Day falls on May 18, reminding Americans of the sacrifices that military members make for the country every day. While these brave souls signed up to confront dangers and hazards that would make the average citizen shake in his boots, most members of the military would not have imagined that their jobs would put their identities at risk. Despite efforts from the Pentagon, military personnel still face unusually high potential for having their identities stolen.

One of the key reasons for that increased risk is the frequency with which troops have to give out their Social Security numbers. While civilians are reminded repeatedly to keep their numbers closely guarded and to only give them out when absolutely necessary, military personnel often have to give out their numbers for a variety of reasons, some as basic as logging into computers.

The potential for deployment makes the situation even more complicated. When troops are deployed abroad, and don't have regular access to keep a close eye on their accounts or what comes in the mail back home, they're at yet another disadvantage. It could be months before they see evidence of identity theft, long after serious damage has already been done. Fortunately, troops can put "active duty alerts" on their credit reports; those reports ensure that creditors take extra steps to verify identity before granting credit.

Taking the usual steps to protect identity may not be enough for military personnel. While part of the burden is on troops, many military experts believe that changes throughout the system - such as reducing the frequency of disclosing Social Security numbers - are necessary before the trend really slows.

Most families install basic home security precautions: locks, alarms and maybe even landscaping designed to prevent predators from hiding in the bushes. But what about inside the house?

When it comes to inviting strangers into the home to provide services like plumbing, electrical work or even carpet cleaning, not taking careful steps to fully screen the company and the worker who shows up at the door can easily lead to an identity theft situation. Take action to help protect your family from identity theft:

* Research the company both online and in your community. Identity thieves have set up faux companies, mimicking legitimate companies in name, service offerings and even websites in an effort to gather identity information like addresses, credit card numbers and telephone numbers for fraudulent use. By the time the serviceman doesn't show up for the scheduled appointment, the website has disappeared and the phone disconnected.

* Ask who will be performing the work when scheduling the appointment. When the worker arrives at the door, ask to see a form of identification. Save the name in your files, in case you want to have the worker return for additional projects or if you need to report an identity theft situation.

* Secure your belongings, especially any documents that contain personal information. A credit card statement laying out, waiting to be paid, provides a stranger coming into your house direct access to a lot of personal information. The worker can easily jot down the information, or worse, snap a photo of the statement with a smartphone, and the theft won't be discovered until money goes missing or fraudulent charges are made.

* Empty your trashcans and recycling bins before the service workers show up. Trash cans are gold mines for identity thieves. Be sure all the recycling and garbage is securely stored in the garage, or better yet, schedule your service work to occur the day after garbage is collected in your neighborhood.

Taking steps to better secure personal information is only the first step when it comes to inviting service workers into your home. Monitoring your identity on a constant basis is also critical in catching identity theft early.

What would life be without the 2.2 million automated teller machines (ATMs) that give millions of Americans ready access to their bank accounts every day? ATMs are convenient for anyone who needs fast access to cash - including, unfortunately, identity thieves.

While you may worry about identity thieves targeting you while you shop online or that your personal information may be caught up in a data breach at the hospital where you had surgery last year, the truth is the majority of identity theft occurs in ways that are much lower-tech. It's much more likely that a criminal might target your ATM use than pilfer your information online.

Fortunately, you have a lot of control over how secure you are at the ATM. Here are some tips on how to protect yourself from identity theft when you use an ATM:

• Choose your ATM wisely. Look for machines located in secure areas, such as in the lobby of a bank that can only be accessed with a bank card, or one in a high-traffic public location. It will be harder for identity thieves to ply their tricks on a securely located ATM.

• Be aware of who is around you when you use a walk-up ATM. Shoulder surfing-peering over someone's shoulder while they type a PIN-is a leading way crooks swipe PIN and account numbers. If someone is standing too close and making you uncomfortable, don't use the ATM. Walk away and find another one.

• Examine an ATM for signs of tampering before you use it. Identity thieves have been known to attach devices to the machines that steal information when you insert your card. Loose, damaged or odd-looking parts such as the card slot or the keypad may indicate the ATM has been tampered with.

• Keep an eye on your bank account and your credit report. Often, those are the first places where evidence of identity theft or fraud will show up.

A mother does everything in her power to protect her children - that's a given. On the day devoted to celebrating moms and all they do, why not change the equation and give Mom the gift of protection against identity theft? While identity theft affects people of all ages, the growing trend of identity theft among seniors makes it a good time to offer help to Grandma, too.

For those stumped for gift ideas, consider these presents that will keep on giving (just don't forget flowers and a card, too).

• Identity theft protection service. Maintaining constant vigilance against identity theft takes an incredible amount of time. Protection services, available through many insurance companies, credit unions, credit reporting agencies, and community banks, can do the job so Mom doesn't have to. They provide the expertise and action needed to reduce the risk of identity theft and stop it in its tracks if it starts.
• Protective bags and wallets. Radio-frequency identification (RFID) chips embedded in credit cards and passports have given identity thieves new ways to scan and then swipe important information from unsuspecting victims. Anti-RFID bags and wallets block scanning attempts and help keep identities safe.
• Time and knowledge. There's no price for it, but simply giving Mom a bit of time, and helping her protect her computer, smartphone and other gadgets against identity theft, is a wonderful gift. She might not be aware of the multitude of scams out there, so helping her identity phishing, spam and other key identity risks will be an enormous help.
• A shredder. Those documents that just get thrown in the trash without a second thought could be putting Mom at risk. Giving her a shredder, along with a guide of what to shred and when, will help to protect her.

For the millions of victims of identity theft, it can seem like there's no one on their side. The long, difficult fight to get credit and other financial concerns back on track is isolating and confusing, particularly if the victims haven't dealt with such issues before. However, as the number of identity theft cases continues to grow, more resources are becoming available to help victims cope with the aftermath.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has set up a special section of its consumer information website, www.consumer.ftc.gov, devoted to helping consumers deal with identity theft. While the site discussion identity theft prevention, it also guides consumers through the process of dealing with identity theft once it's happened.

Because identity theft can take so many forms, the FTC provides specific information about how to respond in different situations. In the case of medical identity fraud, for instance, a checklist walks victims through all the steps to correct records, from checking state health privacy laws to sending notifications and police reports to health insurers' fraud departments.

Perhaps most important is the Statement of Rights for Identity Theft victims. Those fighting through identity fraud or theft might not be aware of all the assistance and support they are entitled to, but this document provides an exhaustive list. Because the repercussions of identity theft can extend for years, it's easy to forget what records need to be kept, what kind of help is available and the schedule of how to contact and respond to different agencies, from credit reporters to the IRS.

For victims, staying strong through the fight against identity theft can be exhausting. Having support and information is essential to ensure that life eventually gets back on track.

Because most people now spend an enormous amount of time online, businesses and organizations are eager to find ways to use that activity to their advantage. In many cases, that means tracking user habits, which they use to tailor and target advertisements. On social media sites and even some retail sites, user information is logged and tracked, which has led to increased concern about privacy. During Choose Privacy Week, the American Library Association is drawing attention to the issue and advocating for consumers to stand up for their privacy.

Much of the worry is tied to whether a company allows users to opt in or opt out of such information tracking. In many cases, users have no choice, and that can leave them in a vulnerable position. For those who take pains to limit the personal information they put on the Web, "data mining" (the collection of personal user data) can undo all their efforts. If identity thieves are able to hack into the systems of a data mining company, they would have easy access to an incredible amount of exploitable information.

So, what can the average person do to limit their exposure?

* Read user agreements. Those popups filled with legalese often contain information about how a website will use identifying data and other information. Simply scrolling through and clicking "accept" is a bad idea for those concerned about where their data is going.

* Think twice about customer rewards programs. While getting coupons and discounts is a great draw, consumers enrolled in rewards programs are giving up their purchase history (and sometimes credit card information) to a corporation or organization. If hacked, that information could be used by thieves to commit identity fraud.

* Minimalize social media. Lots of social media sites do data mining-Facebook is particularly noted for it, in privacy circles. Read all social media privacy policies carefully, and if there's something you find questionable, you might want to terminate your membership.

The thought of losing a smartphone is about enough to make any user's blood run cold. But there's much more at stake with a misplaced phone than just the cost of replacement or missing some calls and texts. Because of all the sensitive personal information that many of us store on our mobile devices, the loss of a phone could very easily lead to a loss of identity at the hands of thieves.

While no one can put a safety lock on their brain to guarantee never losing or misplacing a phone, there are preventive measures any smartphone user can take to head thieves off at the digital pass.

1. Use a password. It might seem like an obvious step to take, but as many as a third of smartphone owners admit they don't password-protect their phones. Setting up a password takes only seconds, but can make data much more difficult for thieves to access.

2. Don't stay logged into apps. If it's convenient for a user to stay logged into-or save passwords for-Facebook or email or retail apps, then it's that much easier for thieves to see everything they need to steal an identity. The extra minutes spent logging in are well worth it, in terms of identity protection.

3. Turn on tracking. It's true that many smartphones have tracking functions built in, like "Find My Phone" on iPhones, but not all users are aware that the apps need to be activated. Take a few minutes and turn it on, in case the need to track a stolen device ever arises.

4. Make data disposable from a distance. Service providers and apps alike can offer capability to remotely wipe data from a device. If a smartphone is stolen, or simply lost, the owner can get rid of the very information that thieves are after.

It's important to remember that none of these strategies should be a stand-alone option. After all, a thief could find everything he needs in the time it takes to realize that a phone has been lost. Used in tandem, these tips will protect users' data - as well as that of their friends, family and even coworkers.

Data breaches happen with startling regularity, but they rarely occur on the scale of the 2011 Sony PlayStation breach. When hackers cracked open the PlayStation Network, 77 million users were affected-their passwords, credit card information, security answers, physical addresses and more were all in the hands of thieves. It was a nightmarish scenario for those users and for Sony, but it was much more than just a bad dream.

The results of the PlayStation breach are still playing out. In January 2013, the United Kingdom's Information Commissioner's Office (ICO) fined Sony nearly $400,000 for the hack. After the breach, companies saw just how important it was to keep their own systems secure; it's estimated that the breach cost Sony $170 million. The company also faced lawsuits and government scrutiny from both the United States and United Kingdom, not to mention a major drop in its stock prices immediately following the incident.

No breach since has affected so many users, but breaches still continue to happen. Lessons learned in the aftermath may have helped in combating hacks and increasing security, but everyone needs to continually keep them in mind, and update those lessons.

• Companies-even tech companies-have to stay on their toes. Authorities within the ICO stated that the PlayStation hack was "preventable" and noted that a company like Sony, which is at the forefront of the technology industry, should have had the most up-to-date security system available. In Sony's systems, credit card data was encrypted, but other personal information was not. While companies aren't required to encrypt personal data, after the PlayStation hack, it became clear that doing so is a best practice. Data encryption software and solutions are continually evolving.

• Response time matters. The PlayStation hack happened some time between April 16 and 19, 2011, but Sony didn't shut down the system until the 20th, and then waited to make an announcement about the breach until the 22nd. It wasn't until April 26th that the company confirmed users' data had been compromised. During that period, users were confused, nervous and angry at the company's sparse communications. One of the key takeaways from the hack was that telling customers what's going on is essential, not just from a customer service standpoint, but because most states have laws requiring disclosure of breaches.

While users can protect themselves with clever passwords and other identity theft protection methods, corporations should be equally concerned with protecting their users.

In the aftermath of the bombings at the Boston Marathon, America's charitable nature was fully on display. The horrific stories and images of people injured in the blasts galvanized a wave of financial support from across the country. Unfortunately, quick-thinking fraudsters were already a step ahead, sending emails and setting up social media accounts designed to turn good intentions into personal gain.

The FBI sent out an alert, noting that its Internet Crime Complaint Center had seen indications of fraudulent activity attempting to take advantage of people donating to the Boston cause. The alert mentioned phishing emails, domain name purchases and referenced a Twitter account that had been set up using the Boston Marathon name and logo. While Twitter shut down that account after savvy users noticed it was newly registered and had very few followers, it goes to show that scammers think and act quickly to capitalize on tragedy.

To avoid being duped, learn how to avoid scams that follow in the wake of a disaster-natural or manmade.

• Be skeptical about emails. An email with an account of the bombings, supposedly written by a victim, might be a moving read, but it could also be a scam attempt. If there's a request for donations at the end of the email, ignore it and send funds to a well-known charity instead.
• Research charities. A number of previously unknown charities are likely to pop up in the days following a tragedy. Instead of donating to those organizations on a whim, do a bit of research. Even a cursory Web search can provide details about a charity, but sites like GiveWell.org and GuideStar.org, which list recognized charities, are another great resource.
• Beware of text solicitations. Texts soliciting disaster donations should always be viewed with suspicion. Some might provide links to websites or app downloads that can install malware used in identity theft. Others include a phone number; when users call, they're asked for credit card information, which thieves then use to perpetrate fraud.

Anyone who gives to charity wants their donation to reach the true victims of a disaster. Being wise to scams enables givers to ensure that their donations are going to the right place, all while protecting against fraud and identity theft.

We live life on the go. Everything from shopping to work to booking vacations has gone mobile, making it easy to check everything off the to-do list no matter where we are. But for every new part of life that crosses the digital divide, a long line of identity thieves and hackers is ready and waiting to take advantage of vulnerabilities. Online banking is one particularly alluring option for thieves, so consumers need to guard their accounts carefully.

While bank customers can generally feel assured that their financial institution is working hard to ensure that online systems are safe, they should still follow some personal best practices.

Don't: Ever trust an email, purportedly sent by a bank, that demands account details, passwords or PINs. Thieves using phishing emails will send bank customers links which, once clicked, will collect any sensitive account information users enter.

Do: Guard against malware. This tried-and-true method for carrying out identity theft and fraud is as popular as ever among thieves. Emails containing malware might not appear to be from a bank - they might be masquerading as a message from a friend, or even as a contest to win a vacation. But if a user clicks on an attachment, malware could automatically download to their computer, where it mines personal data and passes it all along to scammers. For added protection, keep anti-virus and anti-malware software up to date.

Don't: Assume that site encryption is always enough protection. Need to check an account while working remotely from a coffee shop? Even logging on to a secure site can be dangerous when using public WiFi. Using an unsecured network can leave users exposed to keylogging, in which software records every keystroke you make. So even if "https" is in the address bar, make sure the network is private and password-protected.

Do: Ask tough questions of the bank. Customers are vulnerable to attack, but so are bank employees. Identity thieves have hatched strategies to get into employees' work computers and gain access to the accounts of thousands of customers. Talk to a bank manager about policies and practices enforced among employees to protect customers' information. Ask, for instance, whether employees are required to use work computers for personal matters or whether employees are allowed to access work accounts from personal devices.

Online banking doesn't need to be a panic-stricken practice. Simply follow these tips, stay vigilant and you'll be better prepared to fight fraud.