Federal banks and thrifts have received specific guidance on what to look out for to prevent theft of consumer identities and "pretext" calling. Issued jointly by federal regulators, the guidance suggests methods to safeguard consumer information and reduce the risk of loss due to identity theft. On the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s list of the fastest growing white-collar crimes, identity theft victimizes 500,000 consumers each year, according to the Office of the Comptroller of the