Best defense:

Protect all your credit card numbers, account passwords or other personal information. Be suspicious of unsolicited offers that seem too good to be true, because they could be fraudulent attempts to get your bank account numbers or other personal information. If credit cards or IDs of any kind are missing, immediately notify issuers. Pay attention to your bank and credit card statements, and quickly report a suspected fraud. If Your Personal Information Has Been Lost or Stolen: If you've lost personal information or identification, or if it has been stolen from you, taking certain steps quickly can minimize potential for identity theft. Close accounts, like credit cards and bank accounts, immediately. When you open new accounts, place passwords on them. Avoid using your mother's maiden name, your birth date or your phone number.

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How to Avoid Blocking

To avoid aggravation that blocking can cause, follow these tips:

•When you check into a hotel or rent a car - or if a restaurant or other business asks for your card in advance of service - ask if company is "blocking," how much will be blocked, how amount is determined, and how long block remains in place.

•Consider paying hotel, motel, rental car, or other "blocked" bills with same credit or debit card you used at beginning of transaction. Ask clerk when prior block will be removed.

•If you pay with a different card, by cash, or by cheque, remind clerk you're using a different form of payment and ask them to remove prior block promptly.

•Ask your current debit card issuer if they permit blocks, for how long, and from what types of merchants. If they do, you may want to consider getting an overdraft line of credit from your bank. Ask about a plan that always automatically covers overdraft and does not involve a separate bank decision on whether or not to pay it each time. Although you might incur some interest on this plan if you don't pay off amount fairly quickly, you would not have an overdraft that is not paid. Ask your bank if they offer an overdraft line of credit, how it would work, and how much it costs.

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