Article Advise

submitted: Apr 10th 2008 | by: PaulWilcox | Total views: 6 | Word Count: 413 | |

Many things can be owned. These things may have been purchased, given as gifts or passed along from one generation of a family to another.

In addition, those possessions can have monetary or sentimental value. Some of those items that have sentimental value can include photographs or heirlooms that have been passed down within the family.

And what's the problem with owning things? They can be stolen. Or damaged by fire, flood or earthquake.

One of the most critical things that can be stolen from you is something you can't actually hold in your hand. It's your identity. Identity theft has become a very serious problem and in order to prevent it, you need to understand it.

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft occurs when someone misrepresents themselves as another person, usually for the purpose of committing fraud. This could include illegally accessing that person's financial accounts or committing criminal acts in their name.

Also, to properly define identity theft, it is critical to define the negative impact experienced by the individual whose identity has been stolen. One of the negative repercussions of identity theft is financial loss. Often an identity theft crime will affect a person's bottom line as thieves access credit cards, bank accounts, etc.

Plus, if it continues for long it can have a big impact on your good name. Credit reports, criminal records, employment history - they can all be affected by identity theft. If you run into these problems, it can take years to undo.

How Identity Theft Occurs

Identity theft often occurs when critical, personal pieces of information are somehow obtained by an identity thief.

These pieces of critical information are generally identification numbers or data that only the owner of that information is privy to. Some of those numbers could be social security numbers, personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, a mother's maiden name, date of birth, etc.

If these numbers are obtained by an identity thief, they can use them to pose as you to banks, credit companies or other services. This personal information should never be given out glibly.

If a company has a legitimate need for this information, they normally only ask for it if you have called them. They shouldn't call you and then ask for it, since you have no way of confirming they are who they say.

Identify thieves can also obtain this information by going through your trash or stealing your wallet or purse. It's important to shred all paperwork that contain important information before you throw it out.

About the Author

Are you looking for more ways to stop identity theft? You'll find more up-to-the-minute information about how to protect yourself from this and other security threats at the Online Security Toolkit website.

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