They are numbers you truly have to see to believe:

1. Identity theft affected 10 million people last year, according to a 2009 Javelin Strategy & Research Center study compiling identity theft crime statistics. That’s up 22% from 2007.

2. The mean cost of identity theft per ID theft victim is $500, the Javelin study found.

3. According to the Javelin study, 71% of identity fraud occurs within a week of stealing the victim’s personal information.

4. Stolen wallets and physical documents accounted for 43% of identity thefts last year, while online methods accounted for 11%, according to the Javelin study.

5. Last year, the most common form of identity theft was credit card fraud, accounting for 20% of all reported complaints, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

6. Since the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel database was created in 1997 for theft, scam and other consumer complaints, it has collected more than 7.2 million reports of fraud and ID theft.

7. According to the FTC, Arizona has the highest per-capita rate of identity theft, followed by California and Florida.

8. The Justice Department reported that in 2005 1.6 million households experienced fraud not related to credit cards (bank account fraud, debit card fraud, etc.).

9. Households with incomes larger than $70K were 2x more likely to experience ID theft, according to the Justice Department.

10. Last year, more than 35 million records were stolen in corporate and government data breaches, according to the Identity Theft Resource Center Aftermath Study.

11. The Aberdeen Group reports that businesses around the world lose $221 billion every year from identity theft.

12. According to security company Gartner, 3% of all phishing scams are successful.

13. 57 million adults have been exposed to some form of a phishing scam, according to Gartner.

14. Of those 57 million, 1.78 million have become victims of a phishing attack, Gartner reports.

15. Every 79 seconds, an identity thief steals someone’s personal data, opens an account in the victim’s name and goes on a buying spree, according to Equifax and CBS News.

These identity theft crime statistics no doubt are frightening. But you can reduce your risk of becoming a victim by being proactive, following best practice advice for protecting your personal information and investing in an identity protection service.

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© Cole for Identity Theft Blog, 2009. | 15 Staggering Identity Theft Crime Statistics | http://www.identitytheftblog.com/221/identity-theft-crime-statistics/

1. Get Your Identity Stolen…And Then Get Sued.
Imagine: You’re a single mom from the Bronx working hard to get by on just $2,000 a month. Suddenly one day, $38,000 disappears from your savings account and your bank slaps you with a lawsuit demanding $23,000! That’s exactly what happened to Gloria Carlo two years ago, the New York Post reports. Carlo says she lost more than $68,000 in total as a result of identity thieves stealing her information and making purchases on Jewelry Television, Shop NBC, QVC and the Home Shopping Network.

2. Lose Your Laptop and Personal Information…And You Do the Suing.
On the other end of the spectrum is Raelyn Campbell, whose laptop containing her personal information was lost during warranty service from Best Buy, according to an identity theft story on engadget. She in turn filed a $54 million lawsuit against the mega retailer!

3. Identity Theft Victim, Meet Your Identity Thief.
The Los Angeles Times tells the story of one victim who took the crime into her own hands. A thief had stolen JCPenney sales clerk Michelle McCambridge’s information and opened up several credit card accounts—including with JCPenney—to charge thousands of dollars in purchases. After reporting the crime, McCambridge pulled JCPenney surveillance tapes of the crime in action and studied up on her identity thief. As luck would have it, several weeks later the thief showed up at McCambridge’s register trying to open up another line of credit! That twist of fate led to the indictment of five people involved in the scam.

4. Not Even to 4^th Grade Yet and Already a Victim of Identity Theft.
Parents, pay especially close attention to this unfortunate identity theft story. These days, ID theft victims are getting younger and younger. The Consumerist reports that a thief stole the identity of 9-year-old Kyle Shoemaker to open up two credit card accounts and an $18,000 line of credit. Apparently, ID thieves don’t discriminate against age.

5. Seattle Man Overcomes Cancer—And Identity Theft.
When it rains, it pours. That was the case for one Seattle man, whose identity was stolen in the midst of his fight to beat leukemia, Discover magazine reports. Right around the time that Eric Drew was told there was little to no hope for survival, he began receiving calls from credit card companies thanking him for his applications—and from collections agencies hounding him about more than $10,000 in charges. Fed up, Drew pulled his credit report, contacted the reporting agencies and went to his local television stations to tell his story. In the end, he beat all odds—he got his credit back in order and he has successfully beat the cancer!

6. Security Breach of 2.2 Million Military Personnel.
Nearly 80% of the nation’s active-duty military were affected by one shocking identity theft story from 2006, reported by The Washington Post. Social Security numbers and other information of as many as 2.2 million U.S. military personnel were stolen from the home of a Department of Veterans Affairs analyst. According to the article, it’s not unusual for government employees to take home sensitive information on laptop computers. It’s a scary thought than even those who serve to protect aren’t protected from ID theft.

7. You’ve Heard of Identity Stealing. But House Stealing?
Identity thieves aren’t just out for your personal information to open credit lines and empty your bank account. They may also be out to steal you house, according to NetworkWorld. Here’s how it works: thieves break into your home while you are away, obtain your name and personal information from your home computer, and create fake IDs and Social Security cards. Then, the thieves head to an office supply store and purchase forms for transferring property. They are able to forge your signature, use the fake ID, and file the deed for your home with the proper authorities!

8. $3 Million: The Ultimate in Restaurant Tips.
If you’re like many Americans, you might dine out several times a week. But is your identity safe while you’re doing so? Waiters in about 40 restaurants in five states recorded credit card numbers from their customers. They then passed the information along to a group of people who used it to make more than $3 million worth of illegal purchases, according to CBS News. 13 people were eventually indicted in the scheme.

9. Can You Feel the Sisterly Love?
Blood may be thicker than water, but that didn’t stop one Chicago woman from allegedly stealing her own sister’s identity to apply for a credit card and make more than $14,000 in purchases. CBS 2 Chicago reports that Lilia Cano, a Chicago Public Schools employee, has been arrested and charged with felony identity theft.

10. I’ll Find You a Job. It’ll Only Cost You Your Identity.
When you’re struggling and out of work, you might turn to an employment agency for assistance. But the last thing you’d expect is for that trusted source to misuse your personal information. Newsday reports that the owner of an employment agency in Mastic Beach, New York, has been charged with identity theft. She allegedly used her clients’ information to create forged checks and run other scams.

These identity theft stories are no doubt shocking and frightening. But you can take control of your identity and take steps to prevent becoming a victim. Take advantage of an identity protection service today.

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© Cole for Identity Theft Blog, 2009. | 10 Unbelievable Yet True Identity Theft Stories | http://www.identitytheftblog.com/192/10-unbelievable-yet-true-identity-theft-stories/

Identity theft of children is a serious concern. Jason Truxel was denied a mortgage because of bad credit. When he pulled his credit reports, he discovered a tremendous amount of debt and accounts he had never opened. One such account showed that a credit card had been opened in his name when he was only 13 years old. Jason found out the hard way that he was a victim of child identity theft. More horribly, Jason found out that the man who stole his identity and ruined his credit was his own father. Jason’s dad told him that he would “never be able to prove anything,” but he was convicted of credit card fraud when credit cards with Jason’s name were found at his home.

Identity theft of children has also affected 11-year-old Diamond Daye. However, it was his mother that is the identity thief. She’s 31, and owes thousands in rent, cell phone and cable bills–all in Diamond Daye’s name.

Identity theft of children is a growing problem. The Federal Trade Commission estimates that there are 500,000 new victims every year. The culprits are often parents, since they have direct access to their kids’ personal information. Irresponsible parents in financial debt apply for credit in their children’s names.

It’s easy–all a parent needs is a child’s Social Security number. Creditors often fail to verify the applicant’s age, and simply accept the application. Children rarely discover that they are victims of identity theft until they are adults and are denied credit or employment because of their negative credit history.

Parents can prevent identity theft of their children by regularly requesting fraud alerts and ensuring the credit hasn’t been issued under their child’s name.

How to Protect Against Identity Theft of Children

1. Protecting yourself from new account fraud requires a credit freeze, or setting up your own fraud alerts in your and your child’s name. This provides an extra layer of protection and can prevent the opening of new line of credit.

2. Consider making an investment in Intelius Identity Theft Protection and Prevention. This award-winning service includes a Free Credit Report, SSN monitoring, Credit & Debit Card monitoring, Bank Account monitoring, Email fraud alerts, Public Records Monitoring, Customizable “Watch List”, $25,000 in ID theft insurance, Junk Mail OptOut and Credit Card Offer OptOut and much more.

Your child is your most important asset, and we all want our children to have a bright future. By protecting their identity now, they can become anyone they want and do anything they dream.

By Robert Siciliano, identity theft speaker and guest speaker on Fox News.

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© Cole for Identity Theft Blog, 2009. | Identity Theft of Children: How to Protect Your Family | http://www.identitytheftblog.com/135/identity-theft-children/

Ben Bernanke

It recently became frighteningly clear that no one is immune to identity theft schemes, not even Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke. On Aug. 25, Newsweek reported that Bernanke was one of hundreds of victims in an elaborate identity theft scheme. Led by Clyde Austin Gray Jr., who has pled guilty to conspiracy to commit bank fraud, the criminals stole more than $2.1 million from hundreds of consumers and 10 financial institutions.

What makes this identity theft scam so unique is it combined the high-tech with the traditional: The thieves pick-pocketed unsuspecting people in retail stores and at sporting events to obtain checks, credit cards and other personal records. Next, the criminals would reproduce phony IDs with the victims’ information but with their own photos.

Bernanke became a victim of the scam last summer when his wife’s purse was stolen from the back of her chair at a Washington D.C. Starbucks. The pick-pocket made out with his wife’s Social Security card, 4 credit cards and the couple’s joint account check book. Of course, that pick-pocket wasn’t the typical criminal out for a few hundred dollars; he was a part of extensive crime ring led by Gray.

Identity theft schemes like this reinforce the need to “go back to basics” to protect yourself. Follow these tips to avoid becoming the victim of pick-pocketing:

• Carry your cash and credit cards in separate pant pockets or in separate areas of your purse.

• Don’t carry your wallet in a back pants pocket. Instead, keep it in an inside jacket pocket or a front pants pocket.

• Don’t carry a purse in your hand because it can be easily knocked away. Instead, wear a bag with a shoulder strap and keep the outside flap toward your body.

• Make sure purses are zipped up or closed at all times.

• Never carry your Social Security card in your purse or wallet.

• Keep a list of credit card numbers, drivers license number and check card numbers—as well as the phone numbers of all issuing banks and credit card companies.

• Lastly, always remain alert. Be especially vigilant in crowded places such as shopping centers, at ATMs and at store checkout counters where you might lay down your belongings.

If you do find yourself a victim of pick-pocketing, follow these 5 steps immediately:

1. Report stolen credit and debit cards to the issuing companies. That’s where your list of phone numbers and card numbers will come in handy. You may also want to follow up with written letters detailing the theft.

2. Contact the 3 credit reporting agencies to report the theft. Ask them to attach a fraud alert to your report.

3. Call any other applicable organizations. If your Social Security card was stolen, call the Social Security Administration; if you drivers license was stolen, contact your state’s department of motor vehicles.

4. File a police report. You’ll want to contact the police in the area where your belongings were stolen.

5. Monitor your credit. You may not only be a pick-pocketing victim, but the victim of an identity theft scheme as well. So use an ID protection service to monitor public reports and your credit report, and alert you to any suspicious activity.

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© Cole for Identity Theft Blog, 2009. | The Latest Identity Theft Scheme Involves Fed Chairman Ben Bernanke | http://www.identitytheftblog.com/102/identity-theft-scheme-bernanke/

The CBS news affiliate in Durant, Oklahoma, reports that James Matthew Chandler had his personal information stolen while applying for a job at J.C. Potter, a local sausage company. Another man used Chandler’s name, Social Security number and birthday to apply for the same job—and was actually hired!

Months after not receiving the job, the real Chandler received a letter from the Department of Human Services asking for employment status and income information to verify benefits. That letter was intended for the man who stole Chandler’s identity and tipped Chandler off to the crime. The identity thief had been working for months at J.C. Potter using Chandler’s stolen personal information.

Chandler immediately contacted the local police department and sheriff’s office, but when officials went to question the man at his place of work, he had already fled.

So far, Chandler’s credit has not been affected, and it appears the identity thief was simply out to gain employment status. But only time will tell all the repercussions.

Job-Seekers: Safeguard Your Personal Information
When job-hunting, remember these tips to ensure you won’t have your personal information stolen:

1. Don’t include sensitive information on your resume. Let the employer know you can provide your birthday, Social Security number and home address during the interview.

2. Review the privacy policies and terms and agreements of online job boards. Make sure they won’t share your information or resume with third parties.

3. Keep a detailed record your job hunt. Keep track of all the information you’ve sent to all potential employers and everything you’ve posted on job boards.

Beyond these measures, an identity theft protection service with credit monitoring is the most effective way to watch for suspicious activity and take immediate action should your personal information be stolen.

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© Cole for Identity Theft Blog, 2009. | Job-seekers: Could Your Personal Information Be Stolen? | http://www.identitytheftblog.com/81/jobseekers-personal-information-stolen/