ID Theft Facts:

These are the cold, hard facts about identity theft.

• Ten million Americans will be victimized by identity theft in 2009.
• Credit card fraud is only one of many types of fraud committed by identity thieves
• Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crime trends.
• Low-tech methods are by far the most commonly used by ID thieves.
• Most ID theft victims don't find out about the crime until months or years after it occurs.
• An ounce of prevention really is worth a pound of cure.
• Identity Theft Protection Blog

Identity Theft Is a Crime Wave and a Trend

The incidence of identity theft rose by 22 percent between 2007 and 2008 alone. In fact, identity theft has seen a steady increase for over a decade. As the economy continues to wallow in the doldrums, this trend is expected to continue.

What is the reason? Well, unfortunately, stealing someone's identity is an easy crime to commit and a hard crime to get caught committing. Additionally, more and more people who would not otherwise turn to crime are finding themselves in desperate situations. Many of them see identity theft as a "lesser crime." Anyone who accesses your personal information can steal your identity. Increasingly, more of them will do just that. Believe me, I wish I were making this up, but facts are stubborn things. Read the latest statistics from the Federal Trade Commission.

Please do yourself a favor and protect yourself! Do not become another statistic!

If you have fallen victim to identity theft, you know what a nightmare it can be. If you have not fallen victim consider yourself lucky, and please take every precaution. Prevention is the best medicine!