There is no (1)__________ the fact that identity theft is on the increase and consequently it is only wise to take all the (2)___________ you can to protect yourself against it. People are constantly trying to (3) ___________ all kinds of information from you but you should only provide personal (4)___________ such as your date of birth when absolutely necessary, since a (5)_____________ needs only a little information about you in order to create a false identity (6)_____________ on your own. Signatures can easily be (7)_____________ and you should therefore make sure that all important documents are (8)__________ before throwing them away. If you see a stranger going through your (9)__________ or your mailbox, you should challenge them immediately as their motives are almost certainly malicious. Finally, should you be unlucky enough to (10) ___________ your credit card stolen, you should not only (11) ___________ the card immediately but aslo register with a company that (12)________________ checks your credit rating. (1) A. forgetting B. excluding C. escaping D. rejecting (2) A. precautions B. ways C. methods D. safety (3) A. extract B. remove C. pull D. gain (4) A. facts B. details C. knowledge D. evidence (5) A. fraudster B. thief C. burglar D. mugger (6) A. built B. standing C. based D. founded (7) A. copied B. impersonated C. imitated D. forged (8) A. shredded B. cut C. sliced D. torn (9) A. waste B. basket C. trash D. stuff (10)A. find B. have C. discover D. realize (11)A. prevent B. end C. withdraw D. cancel (12)A. frequently B. regularly C. obviously D. widely