Unfortunately, thieves who are smart enough to steal identities would not have a problem recognizing whether your "random" 9-digit number was a SSN. In fact, he could probably tell after the first 3...In any case, the fact that the same number would appear on different items would be a dead giveaway.<br><br>The best thing to do is simply keep a separate record of model and serial numbers, and leave it with copies of your other important documents at your safety deposit box, a relative's place, etc. -- any remote place that you trust. You could even leave a copy of your inventory with your insurance agent.