Stop a crime before it happens to you or someone in your family.

When hackers stole 4.2 million debit and credit card numbers from a grocery store in New England, many Moms immediately wanted to protect their identity. We talked to Mari Frank, Esq., Mom and identity theft expert, for her preventative tips:

Debit or credit?: Never use a debit card when shopping--in the event the information is stolen, all the money can be siphoned from your account immediately. With a credit card, you can check all purchases on your billing statement and dispute them if necessary. The safest option is a credit card or cash, Frank says.

Mama's paper trail: Frank discourages against using checks because the account and the routing number is at the bottom. If you must use a check, she advises putting as little personal information on the check as possible, such as leaving off your address, using only your first initial and last name and only giving your driver's license number out if asked.

Your 9-digit number: Be choosy when you give out your social security number. Only give it out for tax purposes, credit cards, loans, etc.

As Frank was an identity theft victim herself, she has a few words of hope for Moms going through the same experience:

Act immediately: If you have had your information stolen, call the three credit bureaus and put a fraud alert on your credit report, which will require the bureaus to call you before opening up a new line of credit. Be sure to give them your cell phone number so that they can reach you. Or you can choose a security freeze, which means that no new creditor can get credit without a password.

Know Your Options: Frank's book From Victim to Victor has many helpful tips on what to do when faced with this situation, including a CD that contains letter templates for attorneys, credit bureaus and the IRS. For criminal identity theft, such as someone filing bankruptcy in your name or committed a crime, she recommends getting an attorney.

For more identity safety tips, visit Mari Frank, Esq.