| Like most crimes, identity theft can be actually be | | | | banks becomes much simpler. All the statements go |
| quite fascinating, even thought it's dangerous and | | | | to a temporary address belonging to the thief, so |
| malicious at the same time. Have you ever wondered | | | | the victim has no idea what's going on.If the criminal |
| how it occurs?Basically, identity theft has occurred | | | | picks his target well, by the time he's drained all the |
| when a thief steals another person's confidential | | | | bank accounts and maximized his borrowings, he can |
| information, usually only known to that person, and | | | | walk away with potentially hundreds of thousands of |
| uses it to assume that person's identity. Usually the | | | | dollars. By the time the victim realizes what's |
| thief uses the information for financial gain by | | | | happened and proves it wasn't him, the chances of |
| committing fraud. Quite often the victim either | | | | finding the criminal are extremely low. He's long since |
| doesn't know what's happened, or doesn't find out | | | | disappeared. Laws have become tighter, but sadly |
| until much later. By then, the criminal has long | | | | the number of victims is still rising every year.Some |
| disappeared into anonymity. The victim is left with a | | | | of the things to watch out for, that may signal |
| ruined reputation, a credit report full of black marks, | | | | you're the victim of identity theft, include:- receiving |
| unpaid debts and demands for payment.Even worse, | | | | bills for an account you didn't open |
| it regularly happens that the victim is arrested as the | | | | - unexplained charges or fees on your credit card |
| one responsible for all the fraud, because it's | | | | statement |
| assumed the victim is responsible. After all, it was | | | | - not receiving bills or statements at the usual time |
| done using his or her identity. It can take a long time | | | | - unauthorized withdrawals or transfers on your |
| to prove the crimes were committed by an identity | | | | bank account |
| thief, and even longer for the consequences of the | | | | - collection agency notices from accounts you don't |
| identity theft to be removed. The victim can suffer | | | | know about |
| for years.The rise of the internet has made it much | | | | - calls or letters about goods you didn't buy |
| easier for computer savvy criminals to hack into | | | | - entries on your credit report about loans you didn't |
| classified information and steal identities. This has | | | | apply forIdentity theft is a serious crime, with |
| resulted in an alarming increase in identity theft | | | | consequences that can last for years. Be diligent |
| followed by fraud.Banks have always been the target | | | | about your finances, and with any luck it either won't |
| of criminals, and stealing identities through bank | | | | happen to you, or you'll discover it before it's too |
| records has been in existence for a long time. Now | | | | late.Timothy Gorman is a successful Webmaster who |
| stealing bank information is one of the major ways a | | | | has witnessed first hand the effects of identity theft |
| criminal can profit from identity theft. Sometimes the | | | | when one of his family members became a victim. He |
| thief will make regular withdrawals from a bank | | | | is the publisher of Stop Identity Theft Resourcesinfo. |
| account until it is wiped clean. Another option is to | | | | A website that provides a information on preventing |
| use the stolen identity to apply for loans and credit | | | | identity theft and teaches you how to safeguard |
| cards. Once the criminal has personal information, he | | | | your own personal and private information in order to |
| can obtain a driver's license, and getting credit from | | | | keep from becoming a victim of identity theft. |