| Other than the discussions on identity theft focus on | | | | Blogspot, etc. These information can also be obtained |
| the theft of ones personal information for use for | | | | en masse. If for instance a database of an |
| financial and personal gain, there are however other | | | | employment agency which contains the |
| instances of identity theft where the information | | | | above-mentioned information together with the medical |
| obtained are utilized so that one can conceal one's | | | | records of said individuals is hacked, then the |
| criminal identity from the authorities. Thus, the purpose | | | | information obtained can also be used to further the |
| for the theft is not for personal gain but for personal | | | | various ends of identity theft. The information obtained |
| protection. The theft of information is conducted in | | | | may be utilized to commit insurance fraud, credit card |
| order that a criminal can be free from his or her | | | | fraud, bank fraud and criminal avoidance. |
| criminal record or can go free to avoid prosecution | | | | Given the above means for identity theft, how can it |
| and punishment for his or her offenses. | | | | be combated? The answer is quite obvious with |
| Regardless of the varying purpose for which identity | | | | respect to the physical means of obtaining the |
| theft is conducted, the bottom line is that the same is | | | | above-mentioned information. It can be combated by |
| conducted and that there is a necessity to combat the | | | | personally making sure that ones identification cards |
| same. | | | | and personal information details are secured. It can |
| There are other means by which personal information | | | | also be combated by making sure that one does not |
| can be stolen. The act of stealing or the act by which | | | | throw out personal documents, or if disposal cannot be |
| the theft is conducted is not necessarily virtual; the act | | | | avoided, one should make sure that these documents |
| may actually be personal, physical or tangible. For | | | | are shredded before the same is thrown away in |
| instance, a thief goes through one's garbage and | | | | order to guarantee security and confidentiality. With |
| obtains various personal information from one person | | | | respect to the virtual means of obtaining this |
| such as name, birth date, age, birth place, address, | | | | information, once again, this can be avoided by |
| parents' names, spouse's name (if applicable), siblings' | | | | purchasing soft wares that generally prevent hackers |
| names (if applicable), offsprings' names (if applicable), | | | | from accessing ones files. In addition, with respect to |
| social security number, employment record, credit | | | | the information that may be obtained from personal |
| record, credit card number, etc. These information may | | | | websites, the key really is not to reveal so much |
| also be secured when one's personal items are | | | | information about oneself. There are also features in |
| physically stolen. If for instance ones wallet containing | | | | these websites where the profile views are limited to |
| ones cash, credit cards, identification cards, etc. is | | | | ones friends and are not allowed globally. One should |
| stolen, an identity thief can easily use this identification | | | | activate this feature. |
| tools for most identity theft purposes. These | | | | There are other practical ways by which one can |
| information may also be obtained by browsing through | | | | prevent and combat identity theft. These other |
| personal websites that have sprouted in the past | | | | information are available in our website. This is one |
| years such as Friendster, multiply, Facebook, MySpace, | | | | protection that cannot be compromised. |