There are moments in life were we wonder if we are really safe. Safety should not only include being physically safe but also include being safe through your identity. Many people are victims of identity theft and do not even realize it. Have you ever stopped to think are you really safe from identity theft criminals? Identity theft can happen to anyone. No matter your age if you have personal information that they can take they will. Identity theft has highly inclined in the past decade. Suspects have found many new ways to ruin the personal lives of others. Identity fraud could happen to anyone. From children to teens all the way to the elderly get hit by this awful crime. That Is why it is suggested that you take different methods to stay safe from being a victim. Many people know that identity theft can happen to anyone anywhere. Identity theft is unlawful and it is unfair for the victims. The victims are only going out to buy their things that they need day to day. They are out not knowing that they are victims to those who think that it is okay to take creating credit problems is okay. Many people say that they are safe to use their card wherever that they shop. People do not stress about how unsafe we are using our cards every day. We think that we are safe when in reality we are not safe at all. Bad credit is not only created from not paying your bills on time or exceeding the limit that the credit card has. People can create their own credit problems but also being a victim of identity theft can be a great cause as well. Identity theft criminals do not have a heart to think about all of the trouble that they are causing for the life of others. Technology. We believe that with so much advancement that technology it is ... ... middle of paper ... ...ut going back out and doing the same thing. Until they start really breaking down on identity theft and putting more focus on it. People will have to take prevention actions to keep safe from being victims. By managing the way your personal information gets discarded it can save you not only a whole lot of time but also save your sanity. Resources Identity theft- Fraud Statistics (2013.) Retrieved from http://www.statisticbrain.com/identity-theft-fraud-statistics Children Identity Theft(2012)Retrieved from http://www.identitytheftassistance.org identity theft. (2011). The Wilson Quarterly, 35(3), 14. Harrison, J. (2007). Identity theft. Sewanee Theological Review, 51(1), 84-89,8. Identity Theft." Gale Encyclopedia of American Law. Ed. Donna Batten. 3rd ed. Vol. 5. Detroit: Gale, 2010. 351-353. Gale Virtual Reference Library. Web. 22 Feb. 2014.
Harrell, E., & Langton, L. Bureau of Justice Statistics, Programs. (2013). Victims of identity theft, 2012 (NCJ 243779). Retrieved from website: http://www.bjs.gov/index.cfm?ty=pbdetail&iid=4821
Consequently, many people believe identity theft will never happen to them. If someone is not aware of how serious identity theft can be, they can make mistakes that make them vulnerable to identity theft. There are, however, three very important ways to prevent identity theft from occurring. By keeping financial papers secure, keeping track of who you’re giving your personal and financial information, and protect online information as well.
"Prevention Methods." Prevention Methods - Identity Crimes - Center for Identity Management and Information Protection (CIMIP) - Utica College. Center for Identity Management and Information Protection, 2009. Web. 30 July 2017.
Javelin Strategy & Research released an identity fraud study in 2017. It found that $16 billion was stolen from 15.4 million U.S. consumers in the 2016 year. This compares to $15.3 billion and 13.1 million victims a year prior. Over the last six years over $107 billion has been stolen by identity fraud. So what is identity theft and how can you prevent yourself from falling prey to this growing crime?
Each year around 15 million United States residents are affected by Identity Theft. This causes financial losses of around $50 billion per year. The average amount of money stolen per victim is $4950! That is a lot of money that is just taken from people with little things they can do to affect their identity from being stolen. The most common age group for Identity Theft is 18-24. The 18-24 age groups hold over 20% of all Identities stolen. Did you know that around 6% of adults are affected by Identity Theft? People who steal other peoples Identities are just really rude. Most people work very hard to earn their money and when it gets stolen from them it is just wrong. According to statistic brain the Identity Theft fraud rate is growing very slowly each year, but it needs to be stopped completely.
Today Identity Theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. The Federal Trade Commission, identity theft victim complaint database currently contains more than three hundred thousand complaints. American consumers reported losing over one billion dollars to fraud overall in 2014, according to the Federal Trader Commissions annual report on consumer complaints released earlier this year, with the average cost ranging between five hundred dollars to two thousand dollars per victim (Federal Trade Commission, 2014). According to the 2011 Identity Fraud Survey Report, approximately eight million adults in the United States were victims of identity theft with the total cost of thirty seven billion dollars (Britz, 2013). The Federal Trade commission strongly urges people to take action in protecting themselves from Identity Theft because everyone is at risk of this rapidly growing crime no matter your age, race, gender or current financial situation. Identity Theft when a illegitimate person gains access to your personal information, such as your Social Security number, credit card account information, your mother's maiden name, your driver's license number, and other important information to impersonate someone. When the criminal has gained the information they need, they have the ability opens credit accounts, cellphone accounts, and other types of credit based accounts in your name. In addition once a person’s information is stolen the criminal then has the ability to access current accounts that is possessed, leading to even further damage to personal finance and credit.
Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in both the US and abroad. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) estimates that identity theft costs consumers as much as $50 billion annually and that this number will likely keep growing (Finklea, 2010, p. 1). Additionally, the FTC receives in excess 250,000 consumer complaints of identity theft each year and this is believed to be only a fraction of the total number of victims (Finklea, 2010, p. 9). There are several types and methods of identity theft and these methods continue to increase as technology becomes increasingly sophisticated. Understanding the types and methods of identity theft can reduce potential victimization.
How common is identity theft? It is the top consumer fraud complaint. There are an estimated 500-750 thousand victims per year. Different types of fraud that are included in the identity theft crime are identification fraud; credit card fraud; computer fraud; mail fraud; wire fraud; and financial institution fraud. One of the ways this crime can occur is by social security number, they assume an identity, make fraudulent credit charges, get loans, open bank accounts, write bad checks on your account, and commit crimes in a person?s name. Some of the ways thieves get some data is by wallet (you may have left behind), mailbox, or garbage; from insecure financial transactions completed over the Internet; from information left on machines in public; wireless technology such as cell phones; beepers; etc., and some will go so far as going through people?s trash.
Identity theft has been around for decades, so it’s nothing new. The only difference now is that the general public and the government are aware of the problem and actively pursuing strategies to combat it. However, identity theft wasn’t always about stealing someone’s credit card information or trying to extort large amounts of cash. It began mostly as a political tool to stuff ballot boxes or used by teenagers to obtain fake ID’s in order to get around laws that prohibited underage people from participating in certain activities such as drinking alcohol. In more recent years however, identity theft has become much more sophisticated and advanced. With the help of computers and advanced technology, identity theft, especially through the electronic world, has become easier and easier for criminals to acquire. (FBI) Most people who engage in the illegal act typically use it for economic gain, essentially to get rich. As any crimes go, identity theft is a nonviolent crime that is relatively easy to conceal which attracts more people to at...
Identity theft is a serious crime where a thief obtains your personal information, such as your social security number, to commit fraud. Identity theft has become a growing issue in today 's society, especially with today 's advanced technology. Research done by Javelin strategy concludes that nearly 12 million Americans have been victims of identity theft in 2011. The statistics of identity theft show an increase of thirteen percent over 2010. The numbers are increasingly growing as the years go by. Approximately seven percent of adults have their identity stolen, resulting in at least $3,500 in losses. Identity thieves develop cagey methods to steal identities like stealing wallets, mail, and phone calls that lure people into giving out their
Identity theft. (2014, April 16). In Wikipedia, The Free Encyclopedia. Retrieved, April 20, 2014, from http://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Identity_theft&oldid=604487730
...and cancel all credit cards, mac cards, and social security numbers. Identity theft can happen to anyone and everyone.
III. Thesis Statement: Identity Theft is rapidly becoming a national issue because anyone of us could be a victim of identity theft. How we protect our self, keep our information private, identify any signs of identity theft, and report and repair our credit is up to each one of us. We have to be vigilant about our protecting ourselves from criminals.
In conclusion, identity theft is illegal, unethical and very dangerous to the victim. This is because identity theft can cause a lot of financial and reputation damage to the victim and his/her family. It is a shame that there are so many cases of this crime in the world today. Having said all of this, it is really important to prevent identity theft by being careful of your actions. However, as technology is advancing, it is becoming more and more harder to do so. Due to this fact, it is important for each individual to know what identity theft is and what they can do to prevent it from happening. After this is accomplished, identity theft will be minimized and this world will be a better and safer place.
America,” (Weidenfeld 1). Being the number one crime, identity theft is very dangerous. If your