Identity Theft

Paper Summary:

Over the last few years, the number of reported cases of identity theft has skyrocketed, from 86,000 reported cases in 2001 to over 700,000 in 2002. It is by far the fastest growing crime in the United States. Perhaps what is even scarier than the crime itself is the ease with which the crime can be pulled off. Discusses the crime of identity theft, ways in which it occurs, ways to prevent it and what to do if it does occur. The paper also investigates the way in which the internet has contributed to the rise in identity theft.

From the Paper:

"Experts have suggested many different ways to reduce the risk of being a victim of identity theft. Many of these suggestions are extremely easy and worth the trouble. The first suggestion is to tear up all credit card bills, bank statements, and any other sort of document that has personal information on it. The next suggestion is that social security numbers should be kept as private as possible. They stress that the social security card should not be carried around, and that social security and drivers license numbers not be written on checks. They also say that social security numbers, along with all personal information should never be given out unless the person asking for it has a good reason to need it. Another way to prevent possible identity theft is to always be on the look out for people that may be eavesdropping on conversations or watching what is being written down. This prevents the "shoulder surfing" technique. The next tip is to never respond to suspicious E-mails or phone solicitors. This is especially true of E-mails and solicitations that request identifying information."

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