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Security
Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, such as your name, Social Security number, credit card number or bank account number, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that 9 million Americans have their identity stolen each year. Victims of identity theft often spend hundreds of dollars and many days or even months repairing the damage to their good name and credit rating.
A new age of Internet crime focused on identity theft is evolving. Hackers are creating business organizations similar to drug cartels. They are developing sophisticated identity theft programs and flexible delivery systems, and they are selling their products as services to those who would use your identity to commit fraud. We recommend that you take a few minutes to read the article Identity Theft and the Hacker Economy.
We have provided security tips and links to additional information on this site, but we strongly encourage you to learn more about computer security.
Read more about identity theft on the Federal Trade Commission's website.