Few ID theft victims can identify the culprit, but among those who can, 50% point to a friend, family member or in-home employee, according to a study by Javelin Strategy and Research.

So, can you predict with any likelihood whether any of your friends or family members would take advantage of a holiday gathering to steal your identity? Yes. Those who’ve already suffered the pain of ID theft and family betrayal identified these attributes of their imposters in a survey by the Identity Theft Resource Center:

• 42% said the imposter was an alcoholic or addict
• 54% said the imposter had a criminal history
• 32% said the imposter had previously stolen identities of other family members

So, how can you protect yourself when a suspect family member will be part of a holiday family gathering?

• Keep only cash in your wallet. Lock credit cards away in a safe or locked file drawer. If you must carry a driver’s license, put it in your pocket.
• Keep mail, financial statement and checkbooks out of sight. The best place for them is in a safe or locked drawer.
• Make sure your computers are password protected and/or encrypted.