| By now, every adult should know that identity theft is | | | | working. Apparently, someone in another city had been |
| the fastest growing crime in America. It has become | | | | using his SSN to earn wages in his name. Jack was |
| an epidemic, leaving everyone at risk, including children, | | | | told that he had to prove that his identity had been |
| adults, the elderly, those with good credit, bad credit, or | | | | stolen. |
| no credit. And, to make matters worse, most people | | | | 3. Medical identity theft. Someone steals your identity |
| do not know if their identity has been stolen. | | | | and either obtains medical insurance in your name or |
| The biggest misconception is that identity theft only | | | | uses your current medical insurance policy to obtain |
| affects or involves your credit. If you, too, believe that | | | | treatment or prescriptions. You can be denied health |
| identity theft only affects or involves your credit, then | | | | coverage or lose your current health coverage |
| you might want to keep reading. | | | | because of false information placed in your medical |
| In addition to credit related identity theft, there are at | | | | record. |
| least four other categories of identity theft that will not | | | | An identity thief received treatment for an injury to his |
| necessarily affect your credit, but can ruin your life. | | | | hand using a stolen identity. Now, the identity theft |
| The following are real life stories. | | | | victim has been receiving letters demanding payment |
| 1. Character identity theft. Someone impersonates you | | | | for drugs and services rendered to the thief. |
| and commits a crime in your name resulting in | | | | 4. Driver's license identity theft. Someone commits |
| warrants issued in your name, arrests made, and time | | | | traffic related offenses in your name. When the |
| spent in jail. | | | | identity thief fails to appear in court, warrants are |
| Donna has been impersonated by her sister for many | | | | issued in your name. |
| years. Unfortunately for Donna, her sister has an | | | | In 2003, Alex's driver's license was revoked because |
| extensive criminal record. In order to clear her name, | | | | he had another driver's license in another state |
| Donna has had to hire an attorney. She has been told | | | | revoked due to criminal charges. In addition, Alex had |
| that once your name is associated with a crime, it can | | | | warrants out for his arrest in the other state. After |
| never come off. | | | | about a year of working to clear his name, Alex's |
| Someone with a criminal record stole Harry's wallet. | | | | driver's license was reinstated. |
| Unbeknownst to Harry, the thief then committed | | | | An identity thief with a poor driving record obtained a |
| several crimes in Harry's name. Unfortunately, this | | | | copy of Sara's driver's license. Now, because of the |
| criminal activity was entered into the database of a | | | | identity thief's poor driving record, Sara's license has |
| background check company that provides data to | | | | been suspended, and she is in danger of losing her |
| potential employers. Harry lost his job and has been | | | | auto insurance. |
| unable to find work because of the false information. | | | | 5. Credit identity theft. Someone uses your information |
| Three years ago, Jane's purse was stolen by | | | | to obtain loans, goods, or services and does not pay |
| someone she knew. The identity thief bought a car | | | | the bills. The accumulating unpaid bills end up going to |
| with Jane's ID and committed other crimes in Jane's | | | | collection, which can affect your credit. |
| name (writing bad checks and burglary). No one in law | | | | For over six years, Kate has been a victim of identity |
| enforcement believes Jane when she says she is not | | | | theft. Even a fraud alert placed on her credit report |
| the criminal, not even the District Attorney who is | | | | has not stopped the identity thief. As a result, Kate can |
| charging her with the crimes. | | | | not purchase a home because of bad credit. |
| John, a man from San Diego, traveled to Mexico to | | | | An identity thief wrote bad checks and opened |
| visit his relatives. On his way back home, he was | | | | several credit card accounts in Erica's name. |
| stopped and told that there was an arrest warrant | | | | Consequently, Erica's application to open her own bank |
| issued in his name. Apparently, someone had been | | | | account was denied. Erica has had to hire an attorney |
| committing crimes in his name and using his Social | | | | to clear her name. This has cost her over $4,500. |
| Security number. John was arrested and taken to San | | | | So, you can see that once an identity thief has your |
| Francisco where he spent 10 days in jail. After finally | | | | identity, he/she can do just about anything including |
| convincing a police office that he was not the criminal, | | | | ruining your life. Don't think you are immune. According |
| John was released and left stranded without any | | | | to the Identity Theft Resource Center, there have |
| money. | | | | been at least 111 disclosed incidents of data breaches |
| 2. Social Security Number (SSN) identity theft. | | | | since January 2005 that could potentially expose 53 |
| Someone steals your SSN and obtains employment in | | | | million individuals to identity theft. This number is steadily |
| your name. The thief's employer reports wages | | | | increasing. Further, according to the FTC, over 27,000 |
| earned to the IRS under your SSN leaving you to pay | | | | people per day have their identities stolen in America. |
| income taxes on these earnings. Further, an identity | | | | Your information is not safe. As long as others |
| thief's use of your SSN can cause you to lose life | | | | (employers, credit card companies, medical facilities, |
| sustaining benefits. | | | | etc.) have your private information, you are always at |
| Paul received a letter from the IRS stating that he had | | | | risk for identity theft. All it takes is for an employer to |
| earned additional income in 2003. Paul never earned | | | | lose your information or give it away or one person |
| this additional income. An identity thief used Paul's SSN | | | | employee to steal the information. A cellular phone |
| and earned wages in Paul's name. Now Paul's credit is | | | | company experienced just that when employees used |
| ruined, and the IRS wants to be paid. | | | | customer data to create fraudulent accounts. The |
| Alex lost his wallet, and he never bothered to report it | | | | bogus accounts were used by the thieves and their |
| to the police. In 2005, he filed his tax return and | | | | friends to ring up thousands of dollars in calls. |
| expected a refund. Instead, he received nothing. The | | | | When it comes to protecting your identity, being |
| IRS withheld his refund check to pay off back taxes | | | | proactive is the only practical way to go to avoid the |
| he owed from 2002. Apparently in 2002, someone had | | | | frustration, time, and expense of restoring your identity |
| used Alex's SSN to earn wages in Alex's name. This | | | | and name. Some things you can do to prevent identity |
| "unreported income" left Alex with a $9000 tax bill. | | | | theft include not giving out your personal information, |
| Someone has been using Mary's SSN to earn wages. | | | | shredding unwanted mail, and not carrying your SSN |
| Mary, who had been receiving AFDC (Aid to Families | | | | card with you. Also, continuous credit monitoring is an |
| with Dependent Children) benefits, lost her benefits | | | | easy, effective and often inexpensive way of keeping |
| because income records show her as having a salary. | | | | an eye on your credit at all times to help prevent credit |
| Jack applied for unemployment benefits, but he was | | | | related identity theft. |
| denied because records showed that he was actually | | | | |