North Dakota shoppers should be wary - according to NBC affiliate KFYR-TV, identity theft in the state is on the rise. This is in part because in recent years, it has become easier for criminals to access private information.

While many criminals use the internet to steal sensitive data, others can simply go through one's trash to find credit card applications, bank statements and other documents that contain social security or credit card numbers.

North Dakota's state attorney general's office says that some victims of ID theft don't realize that their secure information has been compromised.

"If someone has opened up an account in your name and then given a false address, the bill won't go to your home address, you will never know until it shows up on your credit report," North Dakota Attorney General Wayne Stenehjem told the news source. Then you can see if there's any unusual, strange or unfamiliar credit accounts that are in your name. Then you need to take action."

The Better Business Bureau recommends that consumers shred any documents that have sensitive information on them and refrain from carrying around their social security card. Some may want to enlist a secure payment service when shopping on the web.