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Introduction
Methods
Prevention
Recovery
Statistics
FAQ
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Frequently Asked Questions What is identity theft? The taking or assuming of another person's personal information, and the fraudulent use of such information.
How do identities get stolen? There are many different ways for your identity to get stolen. For more information see our Methods page.
How often does it happen? In 2002, people became victims of identity theft at an average, estimated rate of one person every 40 seconds
(Foley).
Linda Foley, Executive Director ITRC Resource Material of: www.idtheftcenter.org
Fact Sheet 108 (formerly 17E): Identity Theft - Overcoming the Emotional Impact How can I prevent identity theft? You cannot completely prevent
identity theft; however, you can certainly reduce your risks. To see a detailed
list of prevention techniques visit our Prevention page.
What should I do if I believe I am a victim of ID theft? As soon as possible, get to work on minimizing the damage and getting control back.
For more information visit our Recovery page.
What if the police will not take a report? In many places police are reluctant to take a identity theft report. The police may
say that you are not the victim but the credit agency ( who actually lost the money ) is the victim or they might say that they cannot prove
where the thief is, therefore its a jurisdictional problem. In any case always insist that the police take a report, even if that means having to
get the credit agency to file the report, or you have to contact a higher person within your local police department. Make certain that you get a report filed!
(identitytheft.org)
identitytheft.org
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS Should I cancel all my credit cards, even if I know they have not all been compromised? It is not wise to cancel everything. Most often, accounts can be temporarily suspended or frozen. You can then have new cards and numbers issued.
Should I get a new SSN if mine has been used in a fraud? In all but the most extreme cases this is a bad idea. Your SSN is attached to many
documents, including credit reports and all government documents. Changing your SSN will make it more suspicious when applying for new loans, credit cards or
other accounts due to the identity theft. In other words, it will be even harder to prove you are who you say you are.
Where can I find out more about identity theft?
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