Startling Facts About Identity Theft

Identity Theft Resource Center®, Nonprofit Organization

Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is a nonprofit, nationally respected organization dedicated exclusively to the understanding and prevention of identity theft. The ITRC provides victim and consumer support as well as public education. The ITRC also advises governmental agencies, legislators, law enforcement, and businesses about the evolving and growing problem of identity theft.

Identity Theft is a crime in which an impostor obtains key pieces of personal identifying information (PII) such as Social Security numbers and driver's license numbers and uses them for their own personal gain. This is called ID Theft. It can start with lost or stolen wallets, pilfered mail, a data breach, computer virus, phishing, a scam, or paper documents thrown out by you or a business (dumpster diving). This crime varies widely, and can include check fraud, credit card fraud, financial identity theft, criminal identity theft, governmental identity theft, and identity fraud.

STARTLING FACTS ABOUT IDENTITY THEFT

• Identity theft is "an absolute epidemic," states Robert Ellis Smith, a respected privacy author and advocate. "It's certainly picked up in the last four or five years. It is nationwide. It affects everybody, and there is very little you can do to prevent it and, I think, worst of all—you can't detect it until it's probably too late."
• Some law-enforcement authorities call identity theft "the fastest growing crime across the country right now". In fact, identity theft is the most called-about subject on the Privacy Rights Clearinghouse's telephone hotline. "Most victims don't even know how the perpetrators got their identity numbers," says director Beth Givens. Such fraud may account for as much as 25% of all credit card-fraud losses each year.
• For the criminal, identity theft is a relatively low-risk, high-reward endeavor. Credit card issuers often don't prosecute thieves who are apprehended. Why? The firms figure it's not cost efficient. They can afford to write off a certain amount of fraud as a cost of doing business.

What Can I Do About Identity Theft And Fraud?
To victims of identity theft and fraud, the task of correcting incorrect information about their financial or personal status, and trying to restore their good names and reputations, may seem as daunting as trying to solve a puzzle in which some of the pieces are missing and other pieces no longer fit as they once did. Unfortunately, the damage that criminals do in stealing another person's identity and using it to commit fraud often takes far longer to undo than it took the criminal to commit the crimes.

What Are The Most Common Ways To Commit Identity Theft or Fraud?
Many people do not realize how easily criminals can obtain our personal data without having to break into our homes. In public places, for example, criminals may engage in "shoulder surfing" ­ watching you from a nearby location as you punch in your telephone calling card number or credit card number ­ or listen in on your conversation if you give your credit-card number over the telephone to a hotel or rental car company.

Become proactive in protecting your good name.  Don't wait until you have become a victim to decide to do something.

Many a victim have thought "it won't happen to me," only to find out that it has happened to them.

Be Proactive - Protect Your Good Name!