What
is Identity Theft?
Identity theft is a crime which is rising dramatically. It involves
the thief obtaining, acquiring or stealing enough information about
a person that they (the thief) can fraudulently obtain goods and services
using the details of the victim.
Usually, the crime happens without your knowledge. Often the first
indication can be credit cards being refused at the transaction point,
or letters from creditors demanding you repay them immediately or face
court action.
What
Information Does an Identity Thief Steal?
The information this type of thief targets is your everyday transactions
which reveal crucial details about your life: your bank and credit card
account numbers; your income; your Social Security number (SSN); or
your name, address, and phone numbers.With just enough of the correct
type of information, an identity thief can begin defrauding on as large
as scale as your credit history will allow.
Clearing
Up The Mess
People whose identities have been stolen can spend months or years,
as well as their hard-earned cash, cleaning up the mess the thieves
have made of their good name and credit record. Some victims have lost
job opportunities, been refused loans for education, refused credit
for housing or cars, or even been arrested for crimes they didn’t commit.
Is it
Possible to Prevent Identity Theft?
As with any crime, you cannot completely control whether it can happen
to you. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), you can minimize
your risk by being more cautious in how you deal with, and dispose of,
your personal information. |
