Identity Theft

Identity theft isn't just some dinnertime story on the evening news. It's real and it happens thousands of times a day. The computer may very well be the most life-changing invention ever, but is has created an entirely new criminal industry that's costing honest people billions of dollars each year.

Now, thanks to the Internet and the fact that so many homes around the world use it to do their banking, pay their bills and taxes, shop, and communicate with others, our most personal and sensitive data is freely available to any thief who knows how to get it. And there are plenty who have this skill, trust me.

According to a statement released by the U.S. Department of Justice:

"Identity theft is the nations's fastest growing crime and identity theft/fraud is the fastest-growing category of Federal Trace Commission (FTC) complaints."

That means that identity theft is growing faster than murder, car theft, rape, robbery, espionage and even terrorism. The impact on the average consumer is staggering! One identity theft ring in NYC alone defrauded 30,000 people out of over $2.7 million dollars. And that was just ONE instance.

Believe me, you can't afford to have your identity stolen

Even considering that your bank may reimburse you for money that was stolen by people who got hold of your credit or debit card information, that's just the tip of the iceburg. These identity thieves use your Date of Birth, Social Security Number, Name and Address to get new credit cards, obtain loans, buy cars, jewelry, you name it. And they have all of the bills sent to you. Even if you can eventually prove that you were not involved, the cost to defend yourself against all of the collection activities, combined with the unbelievable time investment spent talking to each of these creditors, not to mention the damage to your credit history and reputation, is absolutely staggering.

Tips on protecting your Identity

You need to actively protect your identity from thieves at all times. Here's some tips that will help you do just that.

Buy a shredder and shred any personal or financial documents that you are planning to throw away.
Don't give out any personal information to anyone who calls, or at any website, unless you know exactly who you are dealing with.
Never click a link in any e-mails that asks for your personal or financial information, even if it looks like its from your bank
Use Anti-Spyware Software like Webroot Spy Sweeper, to clear identity-stealing spyware from your PC.

And finally, don't trust anyone with your personal information unless you know what they are doing with it and how it will be stored after it's used. It's far too easy for thieves to take advantage of the system and wipe you out tonight!