Identity theft: two words you have probably been hearing of a lot lately. It is all over the news and advertisements are offering identity theft protection. You are probably confused as to what it is, if it will affect you, and what will happen if your identity is stolen. Here is some information for you to help you understand the growing crime of identity theft.
Identity theft is a serious crime and is continuing to grow as a means for criminals and petty thief’s to gain access to your money, name, and credit. Many people are becoming victims of this crime. If a person gets a piece of your identity they can use it to get even more information about yourself and then, once they have enough information, they can claim that they are you.
So, what happens when someone claims that they are me? If this happens to you, the criminal will gain control of your bank accounts, lines of credit, credit cards, etc. They will be able to take out loans and credit with your name so that it goes on your record and not theirs. They will be able to get a car, house, credit cards, etc, in your name. By the time you notice all the bills coming in your name for things you never got yourself, and all the black marks on your credit report for things you purchased but never paid for, it could be too late to stop the criminal from destroying your identity.
If this happens to you, you will have to spend years and years trying to prove that you are the real you and that you didn’t take out all those loans and credit yourself, that you never made those purchases. It can be very difficult to convince companies and credit bureaus of this.
People can also use your identity to get employment and then not pay taxes. You yourself will have to pay taxes on income that you did not receive. They can use it to pass themselves off as a doctor or a lawyer if you yourself are one, they can pass themselves off as a specialist, teacher, anything. They can use your identity to escape warrants for crimes they have committed in the past. The possibilities are endless.
Identity theft is a very dangerous and stressful credit problem. It will create a world of trouble for you, so be smart and protect your personal information from identity theft.
