Identity theft has become a common crime, although statistics show occurrences are decreasing from a high of 10.1 million victims in the year 2003 to 8.4 million in 2007, it still costs consumers and affected organizations nearly $50 billion per year (Privacy Rights Clearinghouse, 2007). And it’s not merely an inconvenience or a detriment to a victim’s credit rating, identity theft is classified as a federal crime.

According to the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998, it is a federal crime if someone “knowingly transfers or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity that constitutes a violation of the Federal law, or that constitutes a felony under any applicable State or local law.”

According to the Federal Trade Commission, the most common forms of identity theft include credit card fraud, bank fraud, communications services fraud (such as opening a cell phone account), and obtaining fraudulent loans used to purchase goods or services. No

Full Article…

The risks for identity theft are everywhere you turn. Your mail, your computer, your credit cards, even your trash; all present opportunities for criminals to gain access to your personal information. To prevent identity theft, you must constantly be aware of the ways that criminals will use to gain access to your personal, identifying information.

Computer Scams

One place that identity thieves often focus their attention is on your computer. Web sites and emails can put you at risk for identity theft. Learn how to recognize the most common computer-based scams.

Real World Scams

Most people associate identity theft with computer crimes, but in truth more than half of identity theft happens in real world situations.

Full Article…

While criminal hackers are cracking databases and stealing millions of electronic records every year, street level identity thieves are a more insidious element of the identity theft epidemic. Thieves of this nature live in your neighborhood. In some parts of the country, local identity thieves tend to be meth heads.

Local identity thieves understand all too well that the money is in your mailbox. They simply open your mailbox and steal any mail that could provide an opportunity for identity theft.

Think about what comes in the mail. Bank, credit card, and financial statements. Utility, mobile phone, and membership statements. Pension, Social Security, and benefit statements. Employment, tax, and income statements. Checks, disbursements, and credit card offers.

These sensitive documents contain enough information for an identity thief to take over your existing accounts or open new accounts in your name. Full Article…

Todd Yurgin of Newark has been sentenced to 16 years and seven months in prison for identity theft.  This is the longest sentence in Delaware history for fraud and identity theft.

His partner in crime, Joseph Aughenbaugh, was sentenced to 12 years and one month.

Yurgin pleaded guilty to six charges, including mail fraud, aggravated identity theft and money laundering, in August.

Yurgin and Aughenbaugh stole mail of victims and confirmed the Social Security numbers through background search sites, said Robert Kravetz, assistant U.S. attorney in the office of Charles Oberly III, U.S. attorney for the District of Delaware.

They stole the identities of 93 people, around 44 of them were children. The

Full Article…

Joseph Kidd, 56 was arrested in California on Tuesday for identity theft.  He had allegedly been using another man’s name for 17-year years to commit crime and fraud.

According to the police, Kidd had been arrested numerous times, sent to prison, and even obtained welfare and medical benefits using Larry Smith’s identity.

Joseph Kidd even got married using the Larry Smith’s name and identity.

The real Larry Smith, 67 who has no criminal record has been trying to clear his name for close to two decades.

Due to the fraud and crimes committed in his name he has been denied medical care and had his driving license suspended.   He h

Full Article…

A report today indicating a sharp decrease in identity theft is good news for consumers and should be a call to arms to redouble efforts by consumers, business and government to fight the crime, according to Anne Wallace, president of ITAC, the Identity Theft Assistance Center.

The report by Javelin Strategy & Research shows that the number of identity fraud victims decreased by 28 percent and the total fraud amount decreased from $56 to $37 billion.

“An improving economy, public education and better detection techniques appear to be working,” said Wallace. “Let’s take this as motivation to redouble our efforts to get out in front of criminals, especially in light of the growing threat of cybercrime.”