MIAMI -- Your computer can be considered a modern-day safe, a place where you store some of your most valuable information. But are you leaving the door to that safe wide open?

Law enforcement officials across South Florida are concerned that the unstable economy will cause identity theft crime rates to soar.

It's already one of the most wide-spread problems around, and according to police, it's tough to prosecute offenders.

Your best line of defense is prevention. The good news is that protecting yourself is necessary, cheap and easy to do.

Start by following these three steps:

Lock Down Your Computer:

Start with your password. It's one of the easiest things for identity thieves to access.

"If you're using your grandmother's maiden name, they go to ancestry.com, pull up your family and there you go," said Albert Manduca of CompUSA.

Manduca recommends using a random combination of numbers, letters and symbols. You can also consider buying a $35.00 device that recognizes your fingerprint, or get a Lenovo laptop that grants access to your computer through face recognition.

"It just uses a little webcam at the top, checks out your face and goes, 'Hey, I know you,' and it lets you on," Manduca told Local 10's Sasha Andrade.

Install Software Protection:

Ask for firewall, antiphishing, or antivirus protection at any computer store. That should keep hackers away.

"Just have the program running on your computer and it will automatically take care of the rest, so you won't have to worry," Manduca said.

Be Careful With Online Shopping:

Shop only with reputable companies. You can also opt for a service like Google Checkout.

"It's like a third party intervening. You pay Google and Google pays the seller. So the seller won't have your address, your name and your credit card number," Manduca said.

Following these simple steps will help keep your most valuable information out of reach.