Shred documents, check your credit during Protect Your Identity Week

Next month, communities around the country will be participating in the third annual Protect Your Identity Week, which runs Oct. 17-23. More than 250 events from document shredding to credit report reviews are planned.

The Council of Better Business Bureaus, the National Foundation for Credit Counseling, attorneys general and other organizations are offering consumers and small business owners tips to help them address the growing problem. Today, 11.1 million people have been victims of identity theft, according to Javelin Strategy and Research.