Identity theft continues to be one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. It is important for consumers to recognize that identity theft is not just a financial crime. This crime varies widely, and can include financial identity theft checking and/or credit card fraud, criminal identity theft, governmental identity theft, and medical identity theft. Identity theft is a crime in which an impostor obtains key pieces of personal identifying information such as Social Security numbers and drivers license numbers and uses them for their own personal gain. It can start with lost or stolen wallets, stolen mail, a data breach, computer virus, “phishing” scams, or paper documents thrown out by you or a business dumpster diving.
via Identity Theft Resource Center | A Nonprofit Organization.