Recent news reports about the theft of a company laptop computer containing personal information for thousands of current and former Boeing employees serve as a timely reminder of the need to protect your personal and financial information.

While major incidents like the Boeing laptop theft are thankfully rare, identity theft and financial fraud schemes are an ever-present risk to today’s consumers.

A recent study sponsored by the Better Business Bureau estimates that there were more than nine million cases of identity fraud nationwide last year, for a total dollar volume of some $52 billion.

And Federal Trade Commission figures indicate that Washington is one of the top ten states in terms of this kind of crime.

What’s more, the risk is even greater at this time of year. That’s because the holidays present the perfect opportunity for those looking to steal your identity or gain fraudulent access to your financial accounts.

In the coming weeks, most of us will be spending more time flashing our plastic at area shops. Those avoiding brick-and-mortar stores will be doing more of their holiday shopping with click-and-order stores on-line.

Many of us will use the convenience of a credit card to make additional charitable donations to qualify for a few more tax deductions before the end of the year.

But this increased level of credit card usage, intended to spread additional holiday joy, can also create cover for criminal activity, making us all more vulnerable to identify theft or fraud.

In some cases, criminals use counterfeit identification or gain access to passwords and personal information to assume control over someone else’s accounts.

Worse yet, sometimes the thieves don’t stop there. They can use personal information, Social Security numbers, and date of birth to actually set up new accounts, borrow money or commit crimes using the victim’s name.

Either way, these crimes can leave the victim with a pile of bills, a damaged credit history and perhaps even an arrest warrant.

While you can’t be held responsible for bills that someone else rings up after gaining fraudulent access to your accounts, getting your credit history and legal record cleared up can take a lot of time.

That same Better Business Bureau study estimates that the average identity theft victim spends 28 hours dealing with their financial institutions, credit card companies, credit bureaus and others in resolving the problem.

Fortunately, there are some practical, easy steps to reduce your risk of identity theft.

A lost or stolen wallet or checkbook is the easiest way for thieves to steal your identity. Eliminate the risk -- don’t carry your personal identification number (PIN) with your debit or credit cards. Don’t use the same PIN for every card. And consider opting to have your credit cards coded to require a photo ID for use.

However, a growing number of criminals aren’t waiting to get their hands on your financial information. Instead, they are “phishing” via email or phone to “hook” innocent consumers.

These criminals send counterfeit e-mail messages that look like correspondence from a reputable business, usually a financial institution. The e-mails typically warn recipients about a possible security breach and ask them to "confirm" account data.

Unsuspecting people who respond are directed to an official-looking website, where their financial information is collected -- and then used to loot their accounts.

Phishing can also take place via phone when an official-sounding caller posing as a bank representative asks about some bogus transaction that they know you didn’t make.

When you confirm that the transaction is not legitimate, they’ll offer to help you get it taken off your account. Of course, to do that, they’ll “just need to confirm some account information.”

In short, never give out your personal financial information in response to an unsolicited phone call, fax or e-mail, no matter how official it may seem or how dire the consequences you supposedly face for not providing the information.

Criminals can also steal your information in any number of ways, from rifling through garbage cans and mailboxes for bank or credit card statements, to posing as landlords to check credit references, to bribing the employees of legitimate businesses to pass along personal information.

Many times, people don’t even realize that they’ve become victims of these crimes until they are denied credit or begin receiving calls or letters from businesses or collection agencies about services or merchandise they didn’t buy.

One of the best defenses is to make sure that you check your credit card and bank statements regularly for unauthorized transactions, even small ones. Thieves hope that small transactions go unnoticed. Report any discrepancies immediately.

Follow up with creditors if your bills don't arrive on time. A missing bill could mean an identity thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address to cover his tracks.

Shred anything with account numbers or other personal information before tossing it.

Whenever you observe something suspicious contact your financial institution immediately so they can work with you to contact credit bureaus and take the other steps necessary to protect your account and your identity.

The sooner a problem is spotted, the greater the chances to minimize the damage and to apprehend the criminals involved.

To learn more about protecting yourself from these types of crimes, you’ll find great resources available from the American Bankers Association (www.aba.com), the Federal Trade Commission (www.ftc.gov), and the Washington State Attorney General’s Office (www.atg.wa.gov).

In the meantime, if you follow these simple precautions, the holiday season will be happier for all of us.

Jim Pishue is president and CEO of the Washington Bankers Association (WBA), the premiere provider of advocacy, education and products for more than 85 commercial banks throughout the state of Washington. He is a Bellevue resident.