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Identity Theft: A Growing Epidemic?

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Identity theft is an awful reality in the Information Age. We live in a time where you can talk to people all around the world in the blink of an eye, and where you have access to any information on the planet with a few clicks of a mouse. This same ease of access of information is also what makes it so much easier for you to become a victim of identity theft.

It's no joke. This latest wave of crime to hit America has been compared to violence in its emotional impact on victims and it's being called "the fastest growing crime in America." So here's the question: What can the average person do to prevent identity theft? What can we do to guard against this onslaught, when statistics show only 1/700 of these thieves gets caught?

The best way to keep yourself from becoming a victim of identity theft is to guard your personal information. Be wary of emails that ask for identifying information like social security numbers. Never give this type of information to anyone, unless you're sure of their credentials. Here's some other helpful tips to help prevent identity theft. Never write your PIN number down on the back of your bank card. Same goes for your social security number. Always remember to sign your credit card as soon as you get it. Thieves specializing in identity theft have a much easier time charging up bogus items on a card that hasn't been signed. It's easier to forge a signature than you think. It's much harder to run up a tab with a stolen or lost credit card that's got a name on it.

There are other ways to prevent identity theft too. Always be original with your banking passwords. While your mother's maiden name may seem obscure to you, it's just the kind of thing a thief would use to leave you a victim of identity theft. Take some time. You don't need to use the first thing that comes to mind or the prompt given to you.

One simple tool can prevent identity theft: a paper shredder. It's an invaluable piece of equipment that'll destroy your personal information and prevent identity theft. Paper shredders are cheap and easy to find, and they'll tear up any type of personal information that an identity thief would love to get his hands on.