Earlier this week I mentioned that I was recently the victim of identity theft. It was far from a pleasant experience, but it was nothing compared to some of the horror stories I heard once I told people what had happened to me.

I seem to have gotten off easily - relatively speaking, of course. But I can’t stop wondering how someone got my critical information. I thought I was very good – some might even say a little anal – when it comes to protecting myself both online and offline.

Offline, I shred everything and I mean everything. Certain documents are shredded then burned (but that’s a whole other story). I never lose anything. Okay, about once every seven years, I misplace something insignificant within my own living space and I always end up finding it within a short period. So, I feel very comfortable saying that don’t lose things - important papers, documents, keys, wallets, etc.

My wallet hasn’t been stolen or lost – ever. About two years ago someone broke into my car and stole only my vehicle registration and a tin of Altoids. You can do your own criminal profiling on that one. But that was two years ago and I immediately took steps to stop any potential threat including placing a credit fraud alert, stocking up on curiously strong peppermints, and making a trip that very same day to happiest place on Earth – the DMV.

Online, my antivirus protection is always up-to-date. I have great software to rid me of the scourge of adware and spyware. I’m constantly in the process of changing many of my numerous passwords. I have a firewall. I also try to shop only at websites I have come to trust. I like to think that I’ve taken the necessary steps to insure I have a secure home computer and that I’m protecting my identity.

Every now and then, I do a little online shopping from the comfort of my office (shh, don’t tell my boss) but I also trust that our IT department has put in place everything to prevent any fraudsters or nefarious activity from impacting our company.

Still, I my first instinct was to think this crime against me had been the result of an online transaction. I went over and over in my mind and in my bank statement what I’ve purchased recently via the Net. And while, I haven’t been able to pin the ID theft to any specific transaction, it’s interesting to me that the first thing I suspected was that this occurred as the result of shopping online.

When I think about this logically, I know any ID theft could have just as easily occurred when I ate some hole in the wall place with fabulously cheap eats. Someone could have swiped my credit card twice to keep a copy of the numbers and my signature. It’s unlikely I’ll ever really know how this happened.

Despite all my knowledge about e-commerce, my belief in online retailing and marketing, and my passion for shopping online, I haven’t made any purchases over the Internet since “the incident.” One reason is that I’m still recovering (getting new credit cards, bank cards, checks, etc. issued) so making any purchases lately has been interesting. It’s been all about the cash for me over the last two weeks. I’ve been into the bank more times in 14 days than I have in the last 14 years.

The other reason is simply that I’m nervous or maybe just a little gun-shy at this moment. I think that’s a natural reaction. However, I’m confident that will pass quickly when it’s December 20th and I still have no Christmas gift for Uncle Bud or nephew Nicky. Then I’ll be hitting the “Buy” button with glee.

There will always be a certain percentage of consumers that are fearful of making purchases online and they shouldn’t be ignored. Making them feel secure is as important to the growth of this industry as continuing to evolve tools for delivering, monitoring and measuring the impact of online marketing and advertising.

Recently, I asked some industry leaders for their thoughts on some of the biggest hurdles for online marketing going forward. Many of the replies focused on the issue of security and credibility for consumers.

According to Ola Edvardsson, the CEO of Performancy, the biggest problem is “the constant abuse of the end user experience.”

“As a marketer you always need to ask your self: Is what I am doing really benefiting the end user? Is this the way I would like to be treated myself? The golden rule does apply in online marketing as well,” Edvardsson says.

Rachel Honoway, vice president of sales and marketing at KowaBunga agrees.

“Consumer perception is always going to be a hurdle. People are programmed to be untrusting of marketers and people are still wary when it comes to the Internet. I think that it will still be a few years before we see the majority of consumers saying that they feel “comfortable” using the Internet and buying from online merchants.”

And Greg Rice, affiliate manger for Commerce Management Consulting, says, “One of the largest hurdles is to stop the decline in credibility of online marketing. From years of cheesy pop-up ads and the millions of computers infected with all types of parasites and adware, online marketing is turning away the very people they wish to attract.”

Wayne Porter, associate editor at ReveNews and senior director greynets research for Facetime Security Labs, also notes that the Internet pollution caused from haphazard marketers, spammers, scammers and spyware companies are a huge issue.

“We see search engines glutted with spam ruining the user experience, trick banners that can land nasty programs on people’s computers slowing them down, and the onslaught of spam and spim never seem to stop,” Porter says. “Unfortunately technology often moves far faster than legislation can keep pace. It is like trying to hit a bull’s eye at thousand yards from a moving train. Marketers must, on their own accord, start thinking about stewardship and leaving the Web as good or better as they found it. Short term gains frequently carry negative consequences and companies must thing long term.”

I feel better knowing this is a top-priority for many in the online marketing community and I’m confident they can help make shopping online a more safe and secure experience for me and others in the future.

Let me know what you think. lisap@revenuetoday.com