Your personal information and sensitive numbers were never physically separated from you. Unfortunately, carelessly giving away your social security number or other sensitive information may put you at risk for identity theft. A database with all your information may be sold to another entity that may use your data to make purchases in your stead without you knowing. Therefore, the question in everyone s mind is: How can we protect ourselves and our families from identity thieves? The first thing that any individuals wanting to be protected from identity number theft must do is to be informed and educated. Each and everyone of us should be aware of the procedure o protect our personal number from identity number thieves. Also available are the Social Security number, last six addresses, current phone number as well as names and phone numbers of neighbors. Some large, prestigious companies offering such information include Lexis-Nexis and West Publishing Company. Many smaller companies also provide similar services. This research used to take days. However, after you report identity theft to the police, you should contact the Federal Trade Commission (FTC). The FTC is the government agency through which all the cases of identity thefts must pass through before being investigated at the federal level. Go to http://www.ftc.gov/bcp/edu/microsites/idtheft/ to file your complaint and for additional steps to take if you ve been victimized by identity theft. Keep a list or photocopy of all credit accounts, along with expiration dates and phone numbers to call in case of theft. Keep this list in a secure spot at home. When you purchase items with credit, always take your credit card receipts with you. Never toss them in a waste basket. Do not have boxes of new checks delivered to your home. In their haste to explore the exciting features of the Internet, many people respond to "spam" unsolicited E-mail that promises them some benefit but requests identifying data, without realizing that in many cases, the requester has no intention of keeping his promise. In some cases, criminals reportedly have used computer technology to obtain large amounts of personal data.