When you delete a file on your computer do you consider it gone? If you answered yes you are not alone. So many people today think that if they clear their computer history, delete files and cookies, and empty their recycle bins, they have done enough to protect themselves. While it is a good start it certainly is not enough to protect yourself from identity theft. IT specialist Tony Lum says that “it’s like removing the table of contents from a book; the chapters (your computer files) are still there, they are just harder to find without the table of contents”. Essentially, when a file is deleted from your computer, you are only removing the indexing system that creates quick pathways to your data. Meaning that your data is still stored on the hard drive and even though the average person would find it hard to recover a file, anyone with any experience could easily locate it. So it’s better to play it safe! Tony Lum says “the bottom line is, if you are really concerned about identity theft, then don’t give away your hard drive”. It is recommended to physically destroy your hard drive. With a physically destroyed drive, no one will be able to access any information remaining on the drive.  So don’t just delete; destroy!