| Identity theft is very much a modern crime that seems | | | | using technology. For instance, they will use the Internet |
| to be gaining more attention as more shopping is done | | | | and email to assume and them manipulate an identity |
| online. The crime is costly to the financial organizations | | | | for their own purposes. |
| that often pick up the tab for the crime. They ultimately | | | | E-mail is an especially common way to steal |
| pass many of these costs on to their customers | | | | someone's identity because it is easy to operate, hard |
| through increased fees and interest rates. However | | | | to track and in most cases is free. An email may |
| the most damaging affect must be on the victim of | | | | contain a virus or trojan that can help the thief infiltrate |
| the crime, the person whose identity is stolen. Identity | | | | the victims hard drive. Once into the hard drive the |
| theft is the latest incarnation of stealing or thievery that | | | | thief can search for important personal or financial |
| has been with humanity since day one. | | | | information. |
| If you reduce identity theft to it's simplest form it is not | | | | Today it is fairly well known that standard precautions |
| really that high tech or complex, but is simply stealing. | | | | for all email are to never open unexpected emails or |
| Even though the Internet has increased the profile of | | | | email from people that you don't know. If you don't |
| identity theft it goes back well before the Internet. A | | | | know the person or the email is obviously spam then |
| popular film and book based of the life and times of | | | | delete it without opening. Some email titles are very |
| Frank Abagnale, a conman operating in the 1960s and | | | | cunning or intriguing. They will have an re: next to the |
| early 1970s can be seen as an early pointer of things | | | | title so that you think it is a response to one of your |
| to come. The film was called "Catch Me If You Can". It | | | | mails. It is essential to have the most up to date |
| dramatizes the way Abagnale performs many scams | | | | anti-virus and spyware programs running all the time. |
| and cons and the widespread hunt for him. Abagnale | | | | A less technological method but just as effective way |
| would impersonate people like airline pilots, doctors and | | | | to steal someone's identity is to go through their trash. |
| lawyers that would be perceived as trustworthy in | | | | Never throw away paperwork that shows your social |
| society. He would then commit some form of crime, | | | | security number, birth date, account numbers, or other |
| notably committing bank and check fraud. | | | | information of this nature. If you must do, then get a |
| It could be argued that the movie shows the origin of | | | | proper paper shredder or tear up the documents. |
| identity theft. This form of crime, confidence tricksters | | | | It is important to stay alert to the threat of identity theft. |
| impersonating people in trustworthy professions, | | | | Regardless of the history of identity theft it is here to |
| eventually developed into modern-day identity theft. | | | | stay and by staying vigilant to any potential offense |
| Today's criminals have become far better at it by | | | | you can save yourself a lot of stress and heartache. |