Before you enter another credit card number or log on to your bank, you need to see what we uncovered.

SPYWARE If you believe spyware has been installed on your computer (one sign is pop-up advertising that is not affiliated with the site you're viewing), software can help you remove it. HIWEB: Spyware Tips Protect Yourself Online - From Consumer Reports Keep Your Windows Software Up To Date Ad-aware Spybot-S&D Survey: Have You Had Spyware?

Hackers have really messed up the Internet. We've discovered nasty programs that can infect your computer almost everywhere you turn.

If you don't pay attention and learn what's going on inside your computer, there's a very good chance you will become a victim -- if you haven't already.

When you type your credit card number or bank information, you probably look over your shoulder to make sure no one's snooping.

But odds are someone is watching you; you just don't see them. They're using the inside of your own computer to do it.

We're hearing from more and more of you with complaints about computers slowing down dramatically. You already know this problem is wasting your time, but you really need to know if it's also putting your families financial security at risk.

"You enter your address, name, your credit card, your phone number -- all that information can be sent out," said Brent Lindell, a computer expert.

"They can do it without being convicted or traced or tracked," said Brett Hiley, also a computer expert.

Computers everywhere are being overwhelmed by what's known as "spyware". These insidious programs secretly load when you visit certain Web sites. You can also get infected with spyware by downloading programs or simply opening e-mail.

"This Windows 98 machine had 652 spyware components on it!" said Hiley said.

We had several computer experts check their clients' computers for spyware and every single one had between 93 and 700 traces of spyware.

Spyware typically creates annoying pop-up ads. But it can also hijack your computer, sending you to certain Web sites.

Hackers can even use it to make long distance calls over your modem or worse, steal your money and identity.

Brett Hiley is a former hacker who now protects computer users. He knows how hackers operate and showed us how spyware can steal your personal information from bits of data on your computer called cookies.

"You could take their cookie from a shopping Web page, copy it to your computer, then when you go back to that page, it's going to think you are that person," Hiley said.

Within seconds, the hacker can go shopping on your dime.

Alarms about spyware are even sounding at a local fire department.

Crews there use special chips to download patient information from medical runs.

"I think the biggest concern we have here is we put personal information of our patients and stuff into the computer system," said Jeff Smith, a Woodinville firefighter. "If you have a spyware program capable of getting into where we keep that information, public information could get out there of peoples personal medical history."

That's why anti-spyware programs have become a must for all computers.

But finding the right one isn't as easy as it should be.

"A lot of times you'll go get a program to protect you and it's actually a spyware program," said Lindell. "It's easy to get messed up."

But fortunately, when you finally get the right software, cleaning up spyware is a snap.

"It quarantines all those items, then it deletes them and then -- boom -- it's done," said Hiley.

The problem is so bad congress just passed anti-spyware legislation to protect the inside of your computer. It tightens rules for those making spyware. It's a start, but computer experts all say the hackers pounding these keys are leagues ahead of our Government.

Right now, it's up to you to protect yourself.