About Identity Theft

If you remember the last time you signed up for a credit card, a sweepstakes, or mailing list, then you automatically know that the first thing you wrote down was your name. By just doing that, you could become a victim of identity theft.
Not many people realize how easy it is to become a victim of this crime. It occurs when someone uses your name, address, social security number, bank or credit card account number, or other identifying information without your knowledge. Identity theft could happen to anyone--to a family member, a close friend, or even you.
According to the Federal Trade Commission in 2000, 19 percent of all victims of identity theft had a personal relationship with the thief. Ten percent of those were family members. The FBI states that identity theft is the fastest growing crime in America. In 1992, TransUnion received 35, 000 calls related to identity theft, but in 2000, they reported there were more than 600,000 reports made. It is stated that every 7...