The FTC recently reported that out of all consumer complaints, identity theft once again topped the list of biggest aggravations in 2014.

ID theft can take many forms and has many causes, from the increasingly large and well-publicized data breach events at government agencies, major retailers and hospitals to more mundane but just as damaging scams such as phishing emails from so-called Nigerian “princes."

While an increasingly sophisticated software and services industry has emerged to help consumers defend their identities, it may be useful to review these three common sense steps first, to cover your bases.