What it does: Stops credit bureaus from selling your name to lenders. That, in turn, keeps them from mailing pre-approved credit-card offers, which are easy for ID thieves to steal.

What it costs: Free if you do it yourself.

Should you do it? Yes. Opting out stops most but sometimes not all such offers.

Where to get it: Go to the opt-out Web site, at www.optoutprescreen.com, or call 888-567-8688.

Beware: LifeLock, Namesafe, and TrustedID will do this for you as part of their continuous fraud-alert placement, but why pay the $99 to $120 per year?

This article was also published in Consumer Reports Money Adviser. Subscribe now to get more expert financial advice you can trust.