As you can imagine the use of computers has really opened up the options for identity theft in recent years and criminals have a huge playground to work and hide behind an anonymous IP address which shields them from prosecution often times. This however does not mean that you are going to be a victim, aside from the great monitoring programs such as myFICO that allow you to monitor your credit score and report there are things you can do to help reduce your risk.

First, you are asking for trouble if you click on links in e-mails that you do not recognize, or download attachments from people that you do not know. You should never open an e-mail from someone you do not know. What can happen is a virus or a Trojan, or even a worm can be enclosed in the e-mail, which would allow someone to gain access to your computer after you download the hiding troublemaker into your computer. Most people keep a huge amount of personal information on their computer. By accessing your computer, they can steal your identity easily and without you knowing until months later.