A New York Times report offers advice on avoiding data theft such as frequently checking financial statements and credit reports, maintaining updated firewall and spyware on computers and changing security passwords often. In addition, it's wise to limit debit transactions and instead use credit cards, the report states. "If a thief steals a debit card, he's getting your money out of your bank account. It's more difficult to get your money back once it's gone. For credit cards, federal law establishes your maximum liability for unauthorized charges at $50 per card." According to the Identity Theft Resource Center, more than 220 million consumer records were leaked last year in nearly 500 separate breaches. (Registration may be required to access this story.)
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