TOP VIEW Affluent individuals present choice targets for identity thieves, both because their assets make them more desirable and because their lifestyles, such as a second home left empty for most of the year, or personal information disclosed when giving to charity, leave them more vulnerable. Families must take protective steps to keep themselves one step ahead of scammers, who may lurk within their circle of employees.

When a family hires Viollis for a home security assessment, he often recommends scrutinizing the family office as well to make sure the people who work there and the technologies they use have been well vetted.

Oatman adheres to "a strict clean-desk policy for my office" and suggests his clients do the same. "Think about all the things people leave around their desk—bills, travel itineraries with credit card information, open computers, even family photos," can tell visitors more than you want them to know, he says. "At the end of the day, the computer needs to be turned off and nothing should be on your desk."

Oatman also works with corporate security to improve control over access to executive floors. He says that while other executives are usually thoroughly checked out, cleaning and maintenance staff, mailroom clerks and administrative assistants often are not. According to the FTC, among those who suffer more serious incidents of business-related identity theft and track down the thief, 13 percent trace the crime back to someone they work with. "Some of these people have access to the office when no one else is around, so you really need to know who they are," Oatman says.

Travel
Credit card theft is far more likely when individuals travel because they use cards more often and hand them off to more strangers. They are also more apt to visit small, less-secure businesses—even ones that use hard-copy imprints of a card rather than electronic systems that show only part of the number. Thieving clerks can then use imprints to access credit card accounts. "This is why we’re big fans of local currency," Oatman says. "People have a tendency to pull out their credit card for the most minor things. We recommend saving it for big purchases at established places and using cash for everything else."

Children
Children have social security numbers and spotless credit records, making them ideal candidates for identity theft. When they reach high school and college, they present appealing targets: They are alone more often and armed with credit cards. They rarely shred documents and constantly meet new people who can quickly learn about their personal lives. Predators even prowl Internet chat rooms or social websites such as MySpace to search for personal information. "The best thing parents can do is limit the damage children can do to themselves," Guidry says. He suggests giving them a credit card with a small limit and linking it to a parent’s account, as an adult is more likely to notice quickly if problems arise.

Oatman encourages parents to routinely coach children on discretion as well. "You need protocols. This is what you can and can’t say about yourself in certain situations, this is what you can and can’t put on your Web page. Don’t reveal these family details until you’ve gotten to know a person to a certain extent," he says.

When children travel abroad, parents should encourage them to be more discreet and leave status symbols at home. "When kids come off a plane, sure, they’re all wearing jeans and T-shirts, but I can look at the backpacks, wristwatches, jewelry, manicures and know immediately which kids are wealthier," Oatman says. Scammers pinpoint these young people at cafés, clubs and museums. "They start asking, ‘Where do you live, where do you go to school, what do your parents do?’ These are more of the little pieces people are trying to put together about you." In the end, he says, securing personal identity requires keeping enough of these little pieces separated and protected so no criminal can assemble the entire puzzle.

Art by Isabelle Arsenault.

Eileen P. Gunn, based in Brooklyn, is a senior correspondent for Worth.