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Americans are facing a fierce attack on their personal and financial privacy. Shielding your private financial information with no risk of a breakdown may be impossible these days. But it's critical to understand how your privacy can be compromised and the consequences of such a breach -- and take a few simple steps to, if nothing else, better the odds in your favor. Find out how to safeguard your identity in a world of dumpster divers, mail thieves and shoulder surfers.

A reporter in Pennslyvania decided to try dumpster diving! Interesting idea...rifling through bags of garbage she found everything you'd expect, rotting food and its not so pleasant smell. But past the trash, she found papers and mail. After just 20 minutes of searching, she hit what an identity thief would call "the jackpot, by finding a document with a social security number. She then took that paper back to owner and asked him if he had forgotten that his social security number was on it?

I just heard another startling fact today on identity theft. Once every 76 seconds!

1. Identity Theft
2. Predatory Lending
3. Door-to-Door Sales
4. Phishing and Pharming
5. International Lottery Fraud
6. Internet-based Business Opportunities
7. Nigerian Advanced Fee Scams
8. Online Auction and Job Site Scams
9. Mortgage Foreclosure "Rescue" Schemes
10. Automotive Purchase and Repair Schemes

You've heard about shredding. You understand that it's probably a good idea to shred any receipts that have your credit card numbers or other personal information on them to stop identity theft.
You may have seen shredders at the office or noticed bulging trash bags of thin paper strips in the dumpster when you're walking the dog past a local business at night.

Here are some good tips to help protect your identity while shopping.

1. Before you head out to the mall take out all the unnecessary credit cards and debit cards. You should never carry your Social Security card but if it is in there take it out and save it in a safe place.
2. Watch out for crowds. Pick pockets and purse snatchers like to hide in crowds. Stolen purses and wallets are still the number one way to steal your identity.

For years, companies have been routinely shredding physical documents to ensure that confidential and sensitive information doesn't fall into the hands of competitors. This practice is partly due how easy dumpster diving can be.

Today's media shows us how identity theft and corporate espionage usually start right in the office.

Identity theft is the fastest-growing crime in the USA, according to the National Crime Prevention Council. About 7 million people had their identities stolen in the year ended July 2003, according to two studies done by Gartner Research and Harris Interactive. Each will spend an average of $1,495 and 600 hours getting his or her finances straightened out, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center. And that's not counting lawyers' fees.