When you think of identity theft, you might think of some zit-faced hacker in the Ukraine gaining access to your credit card number and using it to buy himself a new pair of Nikes and some new speakers for his gaming console.
That does happen, but it's rare.
Only 11 percent of identity theft is carried out by high-tech means, and only about 20 percent involves credit card fraud.
In fact, most victims of identity theft do not even find out about it until months or years after their information has been compromised and used in nefarious ways.
One woman, a Mormon in Salt Lake City, was shocked to find that she had been working as a stripper in Vegas and that she owed thousands of dollars in back taxes.
Well, someone using her social security number did that, anyway, which is her as far as the IRS is concerned.
The craftiest identity thieves do not bother with the penny-ante credit card stuff.
They use your good name to carry out all kinds of nefarious deeds.
If there are dangerous terrorist cells operating in this country (and there probably are), they are most likely using the identities of honest, hardworking Americans to carry out their plots under the radar.
The fact is, it's pretty easy for someone to steal your identity.
All they really need is your social security number and your permanent address to fully "become you.
" That's right: You could be a terrorist and not even know it! Fortunately, the Department of Homeland Security will probably figure out that that is not your picture on the terrorist's driver's license, but you never know.
That is an extreme example to illustrate a simple fact: Identity theft is the crime wave of our times.
If you earn over $50,000 a year, you are in distinct danger of becoming a victim, and you had better take steps to protect yourself.
The good news is that there are some very good tools for keeping an eye on what's being done in your name.
You can be alerted within minutes instead of finding out years later through an unpleasant knock on the door by government agents.
That does happen, but it's rare.
Only 11 percent of identity theft is carried out by high-tech means, and only about 20 percent involves credit card fraud.
In fact, most victims of identity theft do not even find out about it until months or years after their information has been compromised and used in nefarious ways.
One woman, a Mormon in Salt Lake City, was shocked to find that she had been working as a stripper in Vegas and that she owed thousands of dollars in back taxes.
Well, someone using her social security number did that, anyway, which is her as far as the IRS is concerned.
The craftiest identity thieves do not bother with the penny-ante credit card stuff.
They use your good name to carry out all kinds of nefarious deeds.
If there are dangerous terrorist cells operating in this country (and there probably are), they are most likely using the identities of honest, hardworking Americans to carry out their plots under the radar.
The fact is, it's pretty easy for someone to steal your identity.
All they really need is your social security number and your permanent address to fully "become you.
" That's right: You could be a terrorist and not even know it! Fortunately, the Department of Homeland Security will probably figure out that that is not your picture on the terrorist's driver's license, but you never know.
That is an extreme example to illustrate a simple fact: Identity theft is the crime wave of our times.
If you earn over $50,000 a year, you are in distinct danger of becoming a victim, and you had better take steps to protect yourself.
The good news is that there are some very good tools for keeping an eye on what's being done in your name.
You can be alerted within minutes instead of finding out years later through an unpleasant knock on the door by government agents.
SHARE
![Traumatic Brain Injury: By The [staggering] Numbers](https://cdnus.oss-us-west-1.aliyuncs.com/libs/images/NewsJpg/cate_9/012_215x160.jpg)
