Aug. 23, 2000

In this information age, we're all concerned about identity theft.

We've heard the warnings about giving out credit card information, or our social security numbers.

But remember, a lot of your personal information can be stored in your home computer.

NBC's Sonya Pfeiffer tells us that when we trade in a computer, our privae information can easily fall into the wrong hands, even if we thought we deleted it from our hard drive.

They're like kids in a candy store, but the sweet stuff here can be much more attractive than a sugar high.

With the right knowledge, the wrong person can dig up valuable personal information from used hard drives.

Dave Nielson/ computer buff: "My concern when I buy a used hard drive? If I can bring it back next month if it doesn't work."

A return policy might be too tepid a concern. When we re-booted this used hard drive we found enough information to create a new life, right down to a Social Security number.

Which is exactly why you should care what's left inside one of these. The Social Security Administration has seen cases of identity theft skyrocket from about 8,000 three years ago to more than 30,000 last year. They attribute the figures to the ease of gathering information in this electronic age.

When we save a file, send an email, chat on line or go to a web page, that information is saved in more than just one place. And even when we delete, or recycle e-garbage, the information is still retrieveable.

J. Suthar/ Computer Renaissance: "I would say about a dozen folders where you can have information about you, your documents and where you have been in terms of the internet."

Most used computer stores re-format hard drives before re-selling computers, or use a program to erase trade-ins. But experts say the only way to completely get rid of personal information on a hard drive is to literally sandblast it.

There are software programs available that essentially erase data on your hard drive and that will help in protecting your privacy.