Aqua-Soft ForumsI'm curiouse as to how bad it is to have your full name and date accessable on the web, after a quick google and email to myself that reviels my name, I found out everything about myself (age/sex/location/birth) is that bad or comon, and to what extent? I'm registered at so many sites, and have no idea how many times Ive posted information before,
Identity Theft Probability..
It's bad to the point where anyone can look up the information on anyone. But that's the point. Everyone's records are public to an extent. Therefore, anyone can have their identity stolen. Thieves and fraudsters go for the easy targets, however, namely those they can readily get access to lines of credit and social security numbers.
It isn't so much hiding your information from the world as it is making yourself less easy to steal from. Regularly check your banking information, don't post those details anywhere, and have secure passwords.
..... and have secure passwords.
So dont use QWERTY as a password. 
Also, don´t forget that people could get info about you offline by just rummaging through your trash looking at bills, etc.
A couple other things for the "real" world. Keep an eye on your credit card and be careful about giving out over the phone.
When I say keep an eye on it, for example if you're at a restaurant sometimes the card can pass through a few hands before your bill is paid. If the register isn't in your line of site than I'd be careful. Same goes for a full serve gas station. Watch when/how someone swipes your debit/credit card. These are actually more common ways than the internet, it just doesn't make for dramatic news.
More importantly, don't use your forum password as your BANK PASSWORD. I use a root password that's numeric and easy (for me) to remember and use secure variants with letters and special characters for my more important things, like banking, personal email, and secure access to UTD Servers.
learning alot; I have two passwords ones for forums/myspace/sites others for seriouse things, email/microsoft/msn I was under the impression that hash5 security was next to inpenitrable to solve, I dont use credit cards just yet, and my paypal account has its own bank account that i only have money in just before I spend it, so I think I'm safe their...
I had been tought that the only way for indenity theift to happen is the theif needs your Fullname and Birthdate, is that true?
@Ertai88 yeah thats why I always "Shift+Delete" deletes stright off the computer, no recycling bin
They don't even need your birthdate. That's a matter of public record.
Almost everything about you is a matter of public record.
All you have to do is put enough of the pieces together and anyone can assume your identity.
If you've ever bought a house or have gone to court, you are there for all to see.
Your birth certificate can be viewed by anyone. Only you can order an "official" copy, but anyone can see it.
Just keep an eye on your credit cards and credit reports. Look for things that are out of the norm. It's easy to stop someone BEFORE any real damage is done.
A proxy does not get rid of your public records accessible to anyone. Most identity theft is when someone gets ahold of your card number or the credit card itself. It can also occur if you go to a phishing site that you think is the real thing.
I have two internet passwords and two passwords for 'life' things such as bank and whatnot.
I keep a book to remember which pw i use where, but I dont actually write my passwords in it... just my way of remembering it;
eg- aquasoft password= net password 2.
eg- digg password= net password 2.
eg- email password= net password 1.
eg- .mac account password= net password 1.
eg- bank password = life password 1.
Because I know apple is not likely to misuse my password, I am happy to share the same one with my email.
and because things like aquasoft and digg dont really matter, im happy to have them shared.
Bank password i dont usually share with anything else.
Compartmentalization is critical, and Levi definitely has the right idea.
I have two root passwords I use frequently with an infinite degree of variation. They're alphanumeric and easy for me to remember (as strange as that sounds).
10 passwords here, but I use 4 for most things.