In many cases, you don’t know your identity has been stolen or your financial accounts have been comprised until your credit card is declined or your bank account gets drained. The panic that rushes through you when you realize what has happened is nothing compared to panic you’ll feel when you discover the near endless nightmare that comes with trying to reverse the damage. There are many safeguards you can take to protect yourself from identity theft and credit card fraud. First and foremost, you must understand what constitutes identity theft and the various methods crooks can use to obtain your identity.