TEMPE, Ariz. - (Jan. 6, 2009) - With the beginning of a new year comes personal resolutions to stay more active, cut back on calorie intake, work harder and so on-but what about keeping a closer eye on your finances and personal information? While many consumers have become more aware of the threats of identity theft, others are still neglecting to check their credit reports and avoid activities that put them at greater risk for identity theft. The Federal Trade Commission has estimated that more than 8.3 million people were affected by identity theft in 2007. January is National Financial Wellness Month and LifeLock, the industry leader in identity theft protection, encourages consumers to tune in to their personal finances and begin taking steps to avoid becoming a victim of identity theft.

"The growing crime of identity theft has affected millions of consumers in the last ten years, and this number only accounts for those who have became aware of it and have actually reported it," says Todd Davis, CEO of LifeLock. "We encourage consumers to take account of their personal finances and to take proactive measures to protect their personal information."

Today's identity thieves are technologically-savvy and continue to find high-tech ways of tapping into victims' finances. Skimming devices can be placed on credit card machines at gas pumps, ATM's and retail stores, so that unassuming consumers swipe their cards and instantly their card information is stored for the thief to use at his or her discretion. By monitoring personal finances on a regular basis, consumers can be more aware when their personal information has been used.

During Financial Wellness Month, LifeLock encourages consumers to take identity theft seriously, especially when it pertains to protecting sensitive financial information and making financial plans for the future. Here are some helpful tips that LifeLock recommends consumers pay particular attention to during Financial Wellness Month:

• Credit check now - If you haven't already, request a credit report and look it over carefully, making note of anything even remotely suspicious. You can do this by visiting www.annualcreditreport.com. You are entitled to your free credit report from each of the three credit bureaus once every 12 months.
• Inventory time - Go through your bills, all bank and credit account statements and expenses carefully and create an inventory. Make sure to keep track of any and all seemingly questionable transactions. This ensures that irregular transactions instantly grab your attention and if you do come across something peculiar, contact the financial institution right away.
• Online safety - When paying your bills online, be sure that you specifically go through payment sites that you know are absolutely safe, generally marked with a URL that includes https://. Check for logos with a locked key at the bottom of the page. Always avoid saving your log in information on any computer, even a personal one, and do not share your usernames, passwords or account numbers with anyone.
• Peace of mind - Engage a service such as LifeLock to handle the protection for you. With a $1 million total service guarantee and service that is there for you 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, you get the peace of mind of knowing that your identity is protected.

About LifeLock®

Founded in 2005, LifeLock works to close many of the doors identity thieves go through to misuse personal information. Closing in on 1.5 million members, LifeLock has earned multiple awards, including the Red Herring 100 Global Award as one of the Top 100 start-ups in the world. LifeLock was the recipient of two American Business Awards for advertising in 2008, and most recently, garnered an additional award honor for advertising from the International Business Awards. LifeLock representatives are available to assist members 24 hours a day, seven days a week from the company's secure facility in Tempe, Ariz. LifeLock (www.lifelock.com) is a private company backed by Goldman Sachs, Kleiner Perkins Caufield and Byers, as well as Bessemer Venture Partners.