There are some simple changes which can reduce greatly your chance of being the victim of identity theft. In practice, make it a habit not to leave around personal items of identification, even in your home. On the Internet, switch to a browser which offers phishing protection. Mozilla Firefox, for example, will alert you whenever a suspicious site is detected. Other safety measures include having an antivirus with a protection mechanism that scans for network breaches and suspicious file executions, running a spyware/malware sweeper to eliminate threats, and if you find yourself on a seemingly illegitimate website, to know the tell tale signs of a phishing attempt - broken images and links, improper English, and improper certification. Identity theft preys on the unsuspecting, unknowing user. By educating yourself you defeat their intentions.