Page 69 - Book4E

Stay Alert for Identity Theft
Have you ever been a victim of identity theft? If not, you probably know someone who has. As explained by the Social Security Administration, identity theft occurs when a criminal uses your personal information to assume or take on your identity. Remember, identity theft is a lot more than misuse of a Social Security number—it can also include credit card and mail fraud.
The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) defines identity theft as someone who uses your personal information without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. So you might ask yourself, how could someone steal my identity? Well, it could happen in a number of ways.
In spite of your best efforts to protect your personal information, crafty identity thieves use a range of methods to gain access to your data. They can obtain information from businesses or other institutions by:
• stealing records or information while they’re on the job;
• bribing an employee who has access to these records;
• hacking into computer records or other devices;
• conning information out of employees.
Thieves might also:
• steal your mail, including bank and credit card statements, credit card offers, new checks, and tax information;
• rummage through your trash, the trash of businesses, or public trash dumps in a practice known as “dumpster diving;”
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