NEW YORK -- When you get caught up in the hustle and bustle of Christmas shopping, experts said it's a good idea to keep in mind that the identity theft Grinch could be out to get yours.

Nobody knows for sure just how many people have their personal information stolen each year, but government statistics suggests it's somewhere around 8 million.

Gail Cunningham of the National Foundation for Credit Counseling said it's a particular problem around the holidays when thieves and crooks "come out from under their rocks."

It could be an online come-on asking you to "verify" some credit information. Or it could be that shopper pressed up behind you at a mall ATM, sneaking a peak at your PIN number.

Steven Domeniko of the protection service, IdentityTruth, said illegal ATM transactions are a large and growing problem. He suggests using only bank ATMS because they're equipped with security cams. He said thieves who access bank accounts can drain them before you know you've been had.

According to a 2006 survey by the Federal Trade Commission, over 8.3 million people experience some sort of identity theft each year and spent hours, if not money, fixing the problem.