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WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT?

Identity theft is the nations fastest growing crime according to FBI statistics and identity theft/fraud is the fastest growing category of Federal Trade Commission (FTC) complaints.

Identity theft is a crime in which someone steals and uses another person's personal data (name, date of birth, social security number, driver's license number and financial identity such as credit card, bank account and phone card numbers) in some way that involves fraud or deception. Identity theft is used typically for economic gain. Some criminals use identity theft to fraudulently obtain identification cards, driver licenses, birth certificates, social security numbers, travel visas and other official government papers.

Unlike your fingerprints which are unique to you and can't easily be given to, or stolen by someone else for their use), your personal information can be used, if it falls into the wrong hands, allowing criminals to profit at your expense. The worse part is that most victims don't even know their identity has been stolen until more than a year later.

Identity theft can have devastating consequences for you, as the victim, who may face long hours of closing bad accounts, opening new ones, and repairing your destroyed credit record. Unfortunately for the victim repairing damage caused by identity theft can take significant amounts of money. you could be denied jobs, loans, education, housing, and cars, or even get arrested for crimes you didn't commit. It can take months, or even years in some cases, to complete the frustrating and confusing identity-recovery process.

HOW IDENTITY THIEVES GET YOUR PERSONAL INFORMATION

Identity thieves can use a variety of high/low tech means to gain access to your personal information. here are some of the ways that this scum can get your personal information and take over your identity -

* Business Record Theft: They get your information from businesses or institutions by stealing files out of offices where you're a customer, employee, patient or student; or bribing an employee who has access to your files; or even hacking into the company's computer files.

* Shoulder Surfing: A shoulder surfing identity thief standing next to you in a checkout line, can memorize your name, address and phone number during the short time it takes you to write a check. An identity thief can stand near a public phone and watch you punch in your phone or credit card numbers (or listen in when you give your credit card number over the phone)

* Dumpster Diving: They rummage through your trash, or the trash of businesses, and landfills for personal data.

* Under the Color of Authority: They fraudulently obtain credit reports by abusing their employers authorized access to credit reports, or by posing as landlords, employers or others who may have a legitimate need/right to the information.

* Skimming: They steal your credit/debit card account numbers as your card is processed at a restaurant, store or other business location, using a special data collection/storage device (known as "skimmer")

And then there are the old fashioned ways:

* Stealing wallets and purses containing identification and credit and bank cards.

* Stealing mail, including bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, new checks, or tax information.

* Completing a "change of address form" to divert your mail to another location.

* Stealing personal information from your home.

* Using personal information you share on the Internet.

* Scamming information from you, often through email, by posing as legitimate companies or government agencies.

How Identity Thieves Use Your Personal Information:

* Go on spending sprees using your credit and debit card account numbers to buy "high end" items like computers that they can easily sell.

* Open a new credit card account, using your name, date of birth and social security number. When they use the credit card and don't pay the bills, the delinquent account is reported on your credit report.

* Call your current credit card issuer and, pretending to be you, ask to change the mailing address on your credit card account. The imposter then runs up charges on your account. Because your bills are now being sent to the new address, it may take some time before you realize there's a problem.

* Buy cars by taking out auto loans in your name.

* Establish phone or wireless service in your name.

* Counterfeit checks or debit cards, and drain your bank account.

* Open a bank account in your name and write bad checks on that account.

* Give your name to the police during an arrest. If they are released from police custody, but don't show up for their court date, an arrest warrant is issued in your name.



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