Identity thieves only need to know your Social Security number, name, and address to wreck your good credit. Using easily accessible public records, they can learn your place of employment, date of birth, and mother's maiden name. They can open a credit card account and immediately charge up to the limit with no intention of paying. Breaking the Misnomers of Social Security One's social security number is a string of numbers that identify an individual. The social security system was formed precisely to offer protection and security to an individual through benefits and such. However, in the past few years, one's social security number has proven to be the cause that threatens both one's personal protection and security. How to Evade Being a Victim to Identity Number Social Theft Never disclose your personal address and telephone directory that easy to anybody, unless you fully trust a person, or, he s proven to have displayed the best of character, habits, and attitude for a number of years in your lengthy work, and friendly experiences together. Generally, federal prosecutors cooperate with various investigating agencies to prosecute any identity theft fraud. These are the FBI, The U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. A lot of paperwork is involved when you are filing your complaint to a definite jurisdiction of theft offense. Use password wisely - those not easily identified by making it remotely related to you. 3. Be wary of strangers in the house by limiting their access to private information you are keeping. 4. Know the people handling your records in the office/workplace. Make sure to verify how they dispose private information and rule out carelessness in exchanging or disclosing them to other people. With all business and financial transactions done through computers and online means, it has made information very valuable as well as very vulnerable to theft. Your personal information has become a very valuable asset. Anyone who can get hole of it can use it to their advantage at your very expense.