Internet Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the US. You may not know it, but your computer collects all kinds of information about you and stores it in files hidden deep on your hard drive. Files like cache, browser history and other temporary Internet files can be used to reconstruct you online habits. These files store information like logins and passwords, names addresses, and even credit card numbers.

Here are some ways thieves access your personal information:

Dumpster Diving. Thieves look through your trash for bills and other paperwork with personal information, such as paychecks and credit card offers. The best line of defense is to shred all documents with personal information, including labels on magazines.

Skimming. An unscrupulous employee at a retail establishment uses a special device while processing your credit/debit card to capture your card number; they may use it for fraudulent charges, or sell it to other thieves. There is very little you can do to prevent skimming, except for thoroughly checking your credit card statements monthly for unauthorized charges.

Phishing. A fictitious financial institution or company sends you an e-mail, requesting personal information. Banks and credit unions will never request personal information over the Internet. Never reveal any personal information over the Internet unless you have initiated it, such as when making an online purchase.

Change of address. Thieves will also change your address, by completing a change-of-address form at the post office. That way, they will receive all of your personal information, including bank statements. If you fail to receive your mail, even for a day or two, contact the post office.

Theft. Then there is the never-gone-out-of-style stealing. They may steal your personnel records from work; snatch your wallet or purse; take mail, including bank and credit card statements and pre-approved credit offers.

You should photocopy both sides of the credit cards in your wallet and keep them in a safe place. If your wallet is stolen, you’ll know who to contact. Some folks will invest in a lockable mailbox, or use a post office box, to prevent thieves from stealing their mail.

Pretexting. Thieves use false pretenses to obtain your personal information from financial institutions, telephone companies, and other sources. That is why you have to answer so many questions, such as your mother’s maiden name, when you make an inquiry.

If you believe that you’ve been hit by internet identity theft, then you need to move quickly to notify all existing financial institutions which have entered into creditor relationship with you (banks, mortgage firms, retail merchants credit card companies). Alert each firm of your suspicion regarding internet identity theft or account plundering by unauthorized persons.

Internet identity theft can be much more devastating than conventional identity theft because most victims of Internet identity theft are completely unaware that anything has been stolen from them until it is much too late.

The Internet has become a tool for people intent on committing the crime of identity theft. Therefore, it is important for you to understand the unholy marriage between the Internet and identity theft and what you can do to protect yourself from becoming the victim of identity theft when online.

Perhaps the most important factor that you need to keep in mind when it comes to the Internet and identity theft is something that is known as phishing. Phishing is one of the most pervasive methods that are being used online by criminals intent on stealing your identity.

Phishing involves the sending to you of an email or an instant message that is designed ultimately to snag your personal or financial information. The normal drill with these emails or instant messages is that there will be a plug within the message that is designed to direct you to a link within the email. The link will then convey you to what is intended to be a bona fide and reputable website. Indeed, you might think that you are at the website of a well known financial institution or merchant.

Once at this sham site, you will be directed to enter personal and financial information either to purchase a product or to update your information. In fact, all you will be doing in reality is handing over your personal and financial information to an identity thief.

In the end, it is vitally important for you to take all the steps available to you to protect yourself and your identity when you are online. This includes making certain that you never inappropriately volunteer your personal or your financial information when on the internet. And, it also means that you make sure that you maintain effective and up to date anti-spyware and firewall applications on your computer as well.