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  • Identity theft, which usually leads to fraud, can occur at any time and anywhere, even around your home. Identity theft is on the rise, but preventing this crime really depends on the average person taking preventive measures.

    Identification

    Identity theft and fraud occur when someone uses another individual's personal information to impersonate the person in order to steal funds or make unauthorized purchases, reports the U.S. Department of Justice.

    History

    Fraud committed via identity theft became a crime in 1998 after many incredible cases where identity thieves stole sensitive personal information from people, made thousands in purchases and were only convicted of making false statements.

    Significance

    Federal Bureau of Investigation statistics rate identity theft as the No. 1 crime in terms of growth rate, reports Oklahoma University.

    Effects

    Falling victim to identity theft and fraud can do more damage than just a loss of finances. Thieves can take out credit cards and loans in your name and destroy your credit rating.

    Tips

    The Department of Justice recommends that people completely destroy any trash that might contain identifiable information and preapproved credit cards. Also, never give out personal information online to email requests from people you do not know, especially if it is spam email.

    Source:

    U.S. Department of Justice: Identity Theft and Identity Fraud

    Oklahoma University: The Police Notebook: Identity Theft

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