Checking your credit report for errors is the best form of identity theft prevention. You should check your credit report often. Some say every year, but others say every six months. If you notice any errors, you should try to resolve the issue immediately. Another way to protect yourself is to be careful about what you toss in your trash. Never throw items in the trash that contain personal information, especially your social security number. Items like that should be shredded before throwing them in the trash.