| Identity theft has recently become a widely recognized | | | | name, using your details but a false address and never |
| problem, although it only started being mentioned in | | | | pay the bill. |
| literature in the 1990's. It is one of the fastest growing | | | | Identity theft occurs when people get hold of your |
| crimes in the world and therefore one which we do all | | | | personal details either through credit card skimming, |
| need to be aware of and take precautions against. In | | | | stealing mail out of your mailbox or trash or perhaps |
| this article we will look more specifically at what | | | | breaking into hospital records or other places where |
| identity theft is in order to give you more background in | | | | your personal details are kept. |
| order to fight identity theft and credit card identity theft. | | | | In order to best protect yourself against identity theft |
| Identity theft consists of any crime where a criminal | | | | you should ensure that any paper that you put into the |
| uses a person's personal information such as name, | | | | trash is properly shredded beforehand, that you |
| social security number or other personal identification | | | | request not to be on any mailing lists for credit offers |
| facts in any illegal manner. This may include credit card | | | | and opt out of other mailing lists where people send |
| identity theft where the criminal uses the person's | | | | you information in the mail. You should also ensure that |
| name and details to either open up a new credit card | | | | your credit card never leaves your sight in stores or |
| in the other person's name in order not to pay and so | | | | restaurants and if you are unsure of the place rather |
| works up debt in the other person's name; or taking | | | | try to pay by cash. Learn as much as you can about |
| details of that persons credit card and creating a fake | | | | identity theft in order to get more information on how |
| copy which they then use. It may also consist of | | | | to protect yourself. |
| medical identity theft where a criminal uses someone's | | | | In this article we have tried to briefly summarize identity |
| personal details and medical information illegally. | | | | theft and credit card identity theft. It is a fast growing |
| Credit card identity theft may occur in a number of | | | | crime and one for which we all need to protect |
| different ways. Firstly, someone could scan the | | | | ourselves. Personal information may be stolen and |
| information off your credit card while you are not | | | | used in a number of different ways and you should be |
| watching and use it to create a duplicate card; they | | | | aware of these ways and how you can best fight |
| could actually steal your card and use it for their own | | | | identity theft. |
| purposes; or they may open a credit card in your | | | | |