Signs of identity theft can come in different forms, so be aware and report identity theft as soon as you can. They can appear as bank statements from unknown accounts, credit reports with cards or loans you don't know about, or calls from a collection agency looking for money you don't recall owing. All tips can lead to financial ruin and tarnishing your name because you were a victim of identity theft.

The first sign of theft could be a change in your billing cycle and act as a red flag to tell you it's time to report identity theft. When your bills stop arriving on schedule, you need to find out why.

Contrary to popular belief, not all the criminals working to steal your name and money use online theft. You need to be concerned when there's a change in your billing cycle.

The one thing we can count on is that bills always arrive on time. Late bills are a warning sign and you should report identity theft immediately. Contact any companies as soon as you realize a bill is late so you can verify your actual billing date with them.

This can tell you if a thief has changed your billing date from identity theft or whether bills are being sent to a new address to try and hide the fact your personal information has been stolen.

Contact the post office. You should let them know you feel you might have been the victim of theft through stolen mail. Offer a list of missing bills and let them know when the bill should have arrived at the post office.

In today's society, it pays to monitor your bills and statements. Now that consumers have the option of banking online, it becomes easy to keep an eye on anything irregular to see the immediate effects of online theft.

A more serious sign of theft could involve having your credit denied for a large purchase. The best way to minimize fallout from such theft is to review your credit card and bank statements monthly and to check your credit report at least annually. The sooner you report identity theft, the better.

Check out every credit card statement you receive in the mail. Sometimes unauthorized changes may appear on your account, or perhaps the account number on the statement is different from the number on your card.

If this is the case, report the theft to your credit card company immediately for an explanation. You may have become the unwilling victim of identity fraud.