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1984: The Mac Debuts

Personal computers start to soar in popularity. Digital footprints are born: They're the trail of personal information like birth dates and employment histories that users leave on computers and online, ripe for misuse by identity thieves.

1998: It's a Crime

President Clinton signs the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act, making identity theft a federal crime.

1998: "You've Got Mail"

The AOL voice that announces "You've got mail!" inspires a movie. Identity thieves become email fans too, launching phishing scams: An overseas prince needs your help, or a foreign lottery wants to pay you your winnings. Each fake message aims to trick you into revealing sensitive information. Phishing remains a favorite among identity thieves for one simple reason: It pays

Rip-off tip-off: Check onguardonline.gov for a list of current email scams, courtesy of government agencies.

2004: AnnualCreditReport.com Launches

The Fair Credit Reporting Act requires each of the three credit-reporting agencies -- Equifax, TransUnion and Experian -- to provide you with a free copy of your credit report every 12 months. Order yours at annualcreditreport.com to ferret out signs of trouble

Rip-off tip-off: Type the web address carefully. It's the only government-approved website for requesting free credit reports. Identity thieves use similar-sounding website names (and even misspellings) to mislead you into divulging personal data.

2007: Kids Are Victims Too

At this moment your 7-year-old son may be buying a boat, and no one in the family knows anything about it. "Identity thieves love getting hold of a child's information because they can use it for up to 18 years before anyone notices," says Robert Siciliano, CEO of IDTheftSecurity.com. According to the FTC, 5 percent of identity-theft victims in 2007 were age 17 or younger. The best way to keep children's identities safe? Treat their Social Security numbers as family secrets. School and medical forms are two of the few places it's required. If anyone else requests it, ask why.

Rip-off tip-off: Most kids under 18 don't have their own credit card, and that means they should not have a credit report. If you suspect they do, contact customer service at each of the three credit-reporting agencies to confirm whether a report exists and ask how to protect the information. If a report exists, "someone may have access to your child's Social Security number," says Siciliano. "And that number is the key to the kingdom."

2008: Average Teen Sends 1,742 Texts per Month

Cell phone life is short, often less than 18 months if your teen pesters you to keep up with technology. Before you trade, recycle or sell an old phone, wipe it clean. It may contain thousands of texts that may reference birth date, address and maybe even Mom and Dad's credit card number. Simply deleting files is not enough. Check the phone's manual for instructions on how to reset it to factory settings to erase all data.

2009: Facebook Hits 200 Million Users

As social networking websites boom, identity thieves are exploiting previously worthless information -- like lists of friends -- for profit. "Your Facebook page has as much value as a bank account," says Scott Mitic, author of Stopping Identity Theft: 10 Easy Steps to Security (Nolo, 2009). Here's how one scam works: Even with your privacy settings locked down, hackers access your profile. Using information they find there, coupled with details from your online resumé and blog, crooks learn enough to impersonate you. They send emails from your account to your friends, duping them into paying for fake hospital bills or other emergency expenses.

Rip-off tip-off: If you're on the receiving end of a suspicious email, protect yourself the old-fashioned way: Pick up the phone and ask your friend what kind of jam -- if any -- they're really in.

2009: Free Downloads Get Dangerous

What are "The World's Most Dangerous Search Terms"? Anything that includes the word "free" (think free games and free music), according to this new study by Internet security company McAfee. Files downloaded from these search results are likely to be packed with bad things like spyware or viruses. A staggering 60 percent of search results for "screensavers" contain malware. "Thieves are putting keystroke-logging software on your computer that allows them to see what you're typing, stealing your user names and passwords," warns Mitic.

Rip-off tip-off: Stick to trusted sites, and add anti-spyware and anti-virus programs to your computer arsenal and keep both updated.