There are lots of good rules when it comes to adventuring on the Internet. For starters, keep your personal information to yourself (Social Security Number, Date of Birth, etc.) unless you know the website is secure.  A secure website has a symbol that looks like a little lock on it. Never give out your credit/debit card number to someone purporting to suspect suspicious activity in your account.   Never give out the three digit number on the back of your credit card to a merchant that you don't know.  Never respond to a "phishing" email you receive asking for your bank account number or personal information.  Always shred or burn financial statements; never put them in your garbage.  If you suspect suspicious activity, or lose a credit card, place a fraud alert with your credit card company and the three major credit reporting agencies.  Opt out of "pre-approved" offers of credit at www.optoutprescreen.com .  Obtain periodically free credit reports at www.annualcreditreport.com.   The more of these rules you know, the safer you will be from identity theft.