Identity theft is one among unfortunately many negative

effects of the electronic communication age of credit

cards, phones, and the internet. It is a very organized

crime and involves sophisticated technology that will just

take away our identity to be used by someone else.

Identity theft is defined as credit card thefts, thefts

from existing accounts, misuse of personal information, and

multiple types at the same time. Identity theft involves

acquiring key pieces of someone's identifying information,

such as name, address, date of birth, social security

number and mother's maiden name, in order to impersonate

them to banks, credit card companies and other financial

institutions.

In 2005, identity theft complaints made up thirty seven

percent (37%) of all fraud complaints in the United States.

Identity theft is a white collar crime that is considered a

felony offense and thieves face heavy penalties if caught.

Identity theft is often traced back to family members. You

may be held liable if the financial institution can show

negligence on your part.

Identity theft is not a "it can never happen to you"

situation. If it hasn't happened to you, the idea of having

your identity stolen may seem a bit surreal. Identity theft

is the fastest growing crime in the US for the seventh year

in a row. Identity theft is also a federal crime, and many

federal agencies are working hard to combat identity theft.

Federal law provides many protections for victims of

identity theft.

According to FBI statistics, identity theft/fraud is the

fastest-growing category of Federal Trade Commission (FTC)

complaints. One reason the FBI takes this crime so seriously 

is when investigating the September 11 hijackers, one of the 

first things the FBI discovered was that as many as half a

dozen were using credit cards and driver's licenses with

identities lifted from stolen or forged passports.

Identity theft is a felony crime; however, police cannot

help with your credit record or undo the damage that has

been done. Delayed discovery of identity theft and the

various ways criminals can now gain access to your personal

information, can complicate a criminal investigation.

Identity theft is the most popular, and most profitable,

form of consumer fraud. Identity theft is the

fastest-growing white-collar crime in the U.S., often with

devastating effects on the life of a person or entire

family. Last year, individuals reported more than 160,000

cases of identity theft to the Federal Trade Commission.

Thieves have found it's a very safe crime to commit and

have formed into organized rings around the world. If

successfully perpetrated against you, identity theft could

lead to serious financial ruin that would destroy you and

your family's future. Identity theft is everywhere these

days and some companies just make it too easy.

Identity theft is rampant resulting in millions of dollars

of damage each year in the United States. Identity theft is

more than just having your credit card stolen - it is

having your entire credit identity taken over by another

person. A victim typically finds out that his or her

identity has been stolen when he or she receives a call

from a collection agency about a past due loan about which

the victim knows nothing.