| If you think that identity theft can never happen to you, | | | | phishing. Statistics reveal phishing to be the most |
| think again. Just take a look at statistics concerning | | | | dangerous of all identity thefts as it uses both social |
| identity theft, and you can see that the crime of | | | | engineering and technical subterfuge. |
| identity theft is closer to you than you may realize. | | | | Phishing is when the victim receives an email that |
| According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), | | | | appears to be from a bank or other financial institution. |
| identity theft affects as many as 10 million Americans | | | | The victim is then told to click a link and verify his/her |
| each year. Nearly 5% of the people living in the US will | | | | account information or supply personal identity data. |
| become an identity theft victim and the numbers are | | | | The victim believes the link to be a legitimate site when |
| increasing each year. The FTC even reported that | | | | in fact the identity thief now uses the victim's data to |
| they currently received nearly 40% more identity theft | | | | gain access to account information and empty the |
| complaints than the previous year. What is more | | | | bank account. Phishers can also take out credit cards |
| alarming is that identity theft costs businesses and | | | | in the victim's name, and steal ISP account information. |
| financial institutions nearly $53 billion annually. | | | | According to the latest findings of the research group |
| The most common types of identity theft are credit | | | | Gartner, close to 60 million Americans reported |
| card frauds, communications service fraud, bank fraud | | | | receiving a phishing email, and about 1.7 million people |
| and loan fraud. Credit card fraud is when someone | | | | have been victims, costing banks and credit card |
| else uses your credit or uses your personal data to | | | | companies approximately $1.2 billion in losses. |
| apply for a credit card. Meanwhile, communications | | | | All these figures and information about identity theft |
| service fraud deals with someone opening a cell phone | | | | are definitely alarming. To avoid being the next identity |
| or utility services account using your information | | | | theft statistic, it's better to take measures to protect |
| without your knowledge. For bank fraud, a common | | | | yourself against identity theft like keeping your personal |
| scam is the thief opens up a checking account using | | | | information private, subscribing to an identity theft |
| your identity and then proceeds to write bogus checks. | | | | service, and many more. These are just simple steps |
| For years, identity thieves get valuable personal | | | | that take only a few moments of your time. These |
| information through stealing mail, snatching purses, or | | | | few moments are indeed worth the while considering |
| searching garbage for discarded bank statements or | | | | you can either spend countless hours trying to manage |
| credit card receipts. With rapid technological | | | | the damage done by identity theft. |
| advancement, most identity thieves now employ | | | | |