If you or any of your family members, friends, or business associates share music, photos, documents, or other information online, identity thieves might be legally downloading your information. This includes your Social Security Number, home address, and health information.

Nearly 22 million people worldwide are connected to peer-to-peer file-sharing networks (P2P), where they can download and exchange movies, software, and documents via the Internet. However, file-sharing network users have the ability to expose entire hard drives to anyone on the network.

The Today Show discovered 25,800 student loans applications, more than 150,000 tax returns, and almost 626,000 credit reports in April 2009 by simply searching P2P networks.

Antivirus software can protect your computer against viruses but it cannot stop thieves accessing your computer. If you have given permission to them via P2P file sharing networks, however, the software won’t prevent them from doing so. You can control your computer, but you cannot stop others from using P2P file-sharing networks. Your doctor or bank teller could be file sharing without your permission.

Nearly 100 organizations were warned by the Federal Trade Commission, which included schools, companies and local governments. They had leaked personal information of their employees and customers onto file-sharing sites. This information included Social Security numbers, drivers licenses, and health information. It was enough information to allow identity thieves to steal your identity.

What can you do to stop these data breaches online? LifeLock Personal Breach Detection Service searches worldwide file-sharing networks for personal information. LifeLock will alert you if there is a leak and take steps to stop it.

LifeLock can also alert you to possible identity threats. LifeLock monitors over 10,000 criminal web sites for illegally selling of your information. LifeLock can help cancel or replace the contents your stolen wallet (cash and pictures excluded) and many other services that will give you the assurance that your good name and reputation are protected.

Visit this site for more information www.LifeLock.com/p2p.