DEAR ABBY: I want to respond to "Discredited," whose parent stole his (or her) identity and opened credit card accounts using that false identity.

I investigate credit card fraud for one of the largest banks in the world. For parents to commit identity theft against their children is an increasing trend.

"Discredited" needs to contact the credit card companies as soon as possible and report the fraud. And "Discredited" should NOT pay on those cards, since that is often interpreted as acceptance of responsibility. Because she did not authorize the cards, they will most likely be removed from her credit report after completing some paperwork. She should also, as you advised, file a police report since many companies require one when reporting fraud.

If "Discredited" does not take action NOW, his/her credit will be affected for the rest of her life. As a preventive measure, the three major credit reporting agencies should be alerted and a fraud alert placed, which will require lenders to contact "Discredited" at a specified phone number before extending credit.

Please don't use my name. Sign me ... FRAUD INVESTIGATOR IN TENNESSEE

DEAR INVESTIGATOR: Thank you for your supportive and helpful letter.

Readers, if the mail I have received about this problem is any indication, ID theft and fraud have become so common that all of us should run a credit check on ourselves once a year to make sure we haven't been "cloned." It can be done by contacting the three credit bureaus: Experian: 888-397-3742; Equifax: 800-685-1111; and Transunion: 800-916-8800. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: "Discredited" wrote about one of her parents using her credit information. This is called family identity theft, and it is a far too common, yet frequently hidden occurrence that is not often discussed.

You rightly advised "Discredited" not to continue to be victimized or feel ashamed, and urged the writer to contact the police. However, given the cultural issues raised by this individual (who is Asian), your advice may have been oversimplified. In our experience at the Identity Theft Resource Center, many family ID theft victims could benefit from talking to an adviser about potential consequences to themselves and the thief before making such a difficult decision.

We work regularly with cases such as these, as well as those in which ID theft is used as a form of domestic violence. Our program is nonprofit, and victims are never charged for our time. -- LINDA FOLEY, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, ITRC

DEAR LINDA: Batten down the hatches, because you're going to be inundated. Readers, the Web site is www.idtheftcenter.org.

And now, some additional information: In cases like this, it is also a good idea to contact the Social Security Administration and request a statement of your earnings to make certain your relative isn't working using your information. And, depending on your age, it may be necessary to contact the Internal Revenue Service to ensure that no personal tax bills are due (or overdue) under your personal identifying information.

To order "How to Write Letters for All Occasions," send a business-sized, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $5 (U.S. funds) to: Dear Abby -- Letter Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included in the price.)

DEAR ABBY: Last weekend, I gave my hairdresser, "Zelda," an especially generous tip. She had done a particularly good job and I thought she deserved it.

The next time I visited Zelda, she charged me a higher price to include the amount I had tipped her. I paid the bill without disputing it, and now she expects that much every time. I feel taken advantage of. In addition, if Zelda isn't there when I need an appointment and I use another hairdresser, I am asked how much I pay Zelda before I'm told how much I owe. I have heard them charge other customers a smaller fee.

I'm annoyed and upset, but I don't know what to do about it. I like the job Zelda does, so I don't want to switch. I just wish I had never been so generous. -- PULLING MY HAIR OUT IN L.A.

DEAR PULLING YOUR HAIR OUT: Bald may be beautiful, but pulling your hair out isn't the answer. Having a frank discussion with Zelda and clearing the air is. Prices for services should be posted -- or available upon request -- so customers know what they're expected to pay.

To tip for exceptional service is the correct and accepted thing to do. For Zelda to have then added that tip to her regular fee was presumptuous. Since you don't want to change hairdressers, you may have to tolerate being "clipped." However, if I were you, I'd start asking women whose hair I admire whom they're patronizing and what they are being charged. The beauty business is competitive, and you might be pleasantly surprised.

DEAR ABBY: You sometimes offer advice to women who have trouble meeting eligible men. You suggest they do volunteer work, get involved in church groups, etc.

Well, I have a suggestion for another good "hunting ground." Years ago, I worked at the chamber of commerce in a large Midwestern city. While paid staff did the "heavy lifting," dozens of members worked on committees, special events and other civic activities.

Our female assistants were continuously interacting with young company executives, hard-working, civic-minded guys with good jobs and great potential. I recall several romances that deprived us of good female staff when the woman left to marry some committee volunteer.

So, Abby, consider suggesting to your readers that they look in that direction -- chambers of commerce, manufacturing associations, any civic organization that relies on a lot of volunteer participation from its members. Not only will they have a job doing something worthwhile, they'll be brought into frequent contact with potential partners. -- CUPID IN SAN DIEGO

DEAR CUPID: Thank you! Those are terrific suggestions, and I'll add them to my collection. I'll bet your arrows strike a few bull's-eyes today.

FROM MY COLLECTION OF LIMERICKS:

A quiet young lady called Snookie

At betting was quite a smart cookie.

Before every race

She went home to her place

And curled up with a very good bookie.

Good advice for everyone -- teens to seniors -- is in "The Anger in All of Us and How to Deal With It." To order, send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $5 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby, Anger Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)

DEAR ABBY: I'm writing regarding the letter from "Former Houseguest," who complained about his hostess rushing into the bathroom and scrubbing it every morning after he and his fiancee had showered.

When I was a newlywed, I was an insecure hostess and overly concerned about what my guests might think of the state of my house. Perhaps she was trying to impress upon them that she was a careful homemaker. Her rushing in to clean the bathroom may have nothing to do with her not wanting them there. -- BEEN THERE IN ROWLETT, TEXAS

DEAR BEEN THERE: Perhaps not; other readers read the letter through the prism of their own experiences, too. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: I have a stepdaughter who has a severe case of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD). This poor soul can't have company because she must spend all day and all night cleaning the entire house before they arrive. When we visit her, we must be careful not to touch the walls, or she will scrub them, too.

Some people are not even aware that they have this illness until it's so out of control they are advised to seek help. This could be the case with that hostess. It's a terrible illness that results from a chemical imbalance in the brain. -- A READER, NASHUA, N.H.

DEAR READER: Thanks for pointing it out. A reader from Texarkana, Texas, who suffers from OCD e-mailed me to suggest that people who have this disorder should contact the Obsessive-Compulsive Foundation Inc. It offers support and education for people with OCD-related disorders, their friends, families and professionals, and it also supports research into the causes and effective treatments. Its Web site is: www.ocfoundation.org. Read on:

DEAR ABBY: I have a different perspective than you on the letter from "Former Houseguest."

I also clean my bathroom every morning, and I am not alone. A lot of people are on a "system" set up by someone we call "the FlyLady." ("Fly" stands for "Finally Loving Yourself.")

She is a county commissioner in the state of Tennessee, who instructs us to get up, get dressed to the shoes, put in a load of laundry, and make our bathrooms shine -- every day, first thing in the morning. The bathroom is then presentable for any guests who might come later in the day.

If you would like to see this for yourself, go to www.flylady.net. She is wonderful. She talks about having peace in your homes and a lot of other wonderful things. There are currently 212,899 people following her system. That hostess may well be one of them.

The hostess could have set her routine up long before "Former Houseguest" arrived. Should she have been expected to modify her daily routine just because she had guests? I don't think so! -- FLYING IN OREGON

DEAR FLYING: After reading your letter, I stopped by my neighborhood bookstore and spotted a book by Marla Cilley, the FlyLady. It's titled "Sink Reflections" (published by Bantam Books). It was easy to read and chock-full of helpful ideas for the disorganized, as so many people are today. What I liked most about it was Ms. Cilley's philosophy that organization is most easily achieved not through earthshaking changes, but through a series of baby steps.

For everything you need to know about wedding planning, order "How to Have a Lovely Wedding." Send a business-size, self-addressed envelope, plus check or money order for $5 (U.S. funds only) to: Dear Abby, Wedding Booklet, P.O. Box 447, Mount Morris, IL 61054-0447. (Postage is included.)