Identity Theft

Identity Theft Heartless Crime

Recently, while visiting with friends in Germantown, I noticed a marked security guard parked across the street in front of a home.

When I inquired about it, they explained that the man that lived there passed away and it is now normal for a security guard to be posted after a death. It saddens me, but it makes sense. Funeral arrangements are published in the paper. Mother’s maiden names and similar information is there for the taking. Clearly, the house may be empty during services. Burglars prefer unarmed victims and empty houses.

Weddings are also becoming a similar problem. Back when we married, you had to pay for the cake, food, flowers and a dress. Now, I guess you must add security to that list.

Has society dropped this far?

The rituals of death and love are now fodder for the lowest of society to pounce upon?

I guess I should not be surprised, but I am still disappointed.

Here you'll find recent identity theft statistics from a variety of official sources. We update this page on a regular basis, so visit us often to see the latest facts and figures on this widespread crime. How widespread is it?

There were 10 million victims of identity theft just in 2008 in the United States and 1 in every 10 U.S. consumers has already been victimized by identity theft.

Also, it may not be discovered immediately. Only 38-48% discover someone has stolen their identity within three months, while 9-18% of victims don't learn that their identity has been stolen for four or more years.

And, it is a mess to straighten out, even though it may not cost you actual money. The average victim spends 330 hours repairing the damage.

And, it can interfere with your life. 47% of victims encounter problems qualifying for a new loan while 70% of victims have difficulty removing negative information that resulted from identity theft from their credit reports.

Who does this? Fully 43% of victims knew the perpetrator! Stolen wallets and physical paperwork accounts for almost half (43%) of all identity theft.

Keep an eye on your credit report for free at www.AnnualCreditReport.com

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