Crafty identity thieves have a big bag of tricks to con people out of money. The South African Fraud Prevention Service says these methods make it "almost impossible to clamp down on actual sources". One of the most common methods is phishing - the perpetrator sends a legitimate-looking e-mail in an attempt to gather personal and financial information from victims."There's the SMSes enticing victims to claim a prize. There's also the hacking of databases, and this possibly extends to fraudsters colluding with internal staff," said Carol McLoughlin, the service's executive director.Another method is trawling through discarded bills.Tips to safeguard your identity1) Never give anyone your ID number or other personal information unless you know who you are dealing with.2) Ensure your tax information, bank statements and other financial papers are kept in a secure place.3) Don't respond to e-mails that provide a website link that requires you to log in and give your password details.4) Keep secure personal information such as ID book, passport and bank statements in your home. Shred financial and personal information.story_article_right15) Protect your personal computers by using firewalls and anti-spam/virus software, and update security patches.6) Change your internet passwords every month.7) Tighten up your social media security settings. Criminals can use information obtained on Facebook.8) Check your credit record at least every 12 months to confirm no unknown accounts are in your name.9) Protect your information by registering with the South African Fraud Prevention Services if your ID or passport has been stolen. This can be done at www.safps.org.za. ..