Imagine for a moment, what it would be like to receive the news that someone has committed identity theft, in your name. For example, you go to your local bank, an establishment that your family has used for years, to apply for a home or auto loan. Everything seems to be going well, when the loan officer comes back with papers stating that you owe some outstanding bills, some very hefty outstanding bills.

Reality is beginning to set in with the general public. Widely publicized recent breaches of personal information like the theft of 2.3 million Fidelity National customer records and the loss of 45.7 million credit and debit card numbers at TJ Maxx have brought growing public attention to the true vulnerability of personal information. These alarming numbers suggest that it’s no longer a question of if your personal information will be leaked but when.

Although many people think this fact should be obvious, the reality is that many people are simply not smart when it comes to handling their personal information, and who they willingly give that information to. This carelessness creates a virtual field day for identity theft opportunities to create havoc for such people. The really sad thing is that the safeguards required are common sense and protection can be had at a very lost cost.

The crime of identity theft continues to rise, according to recent reports. One interesting aspect of those reports is that the crime is not limited to the major metropolitan areas, but seems to be equally as rampant in smaller cities and even in rural areas, and in fact, identity theft seems to be increasing in rural areas at rates faster than the metropolitan areas.

The crime of identity theft is becoming increasingly complex and increasingly more complicated as reported cases continue to rise. Recently, a woman was arrested for identity theft who had 12 cellular phone contracts fraudulently taken out using the identities of other people. In another reported case, an identity thief had gotten approved for a loan for $500,000 in the US.

Many banks and financial institutions are now creating departments that are tasked specifically with combating this type of crime. In most cases this is a division of the institution’s anti-fraud department, but in other situations, the identity theft crime has become so prevalent that entire departments have been setup to develop methods to effectively fight it.

One of the primary roles of the FTC (Federal Trade Commission) is to protect consumers from deceptive, unfair, and illegal business practices. The today’s FTC administration, currently chaired by Deborah Platt Majoras, is focusing more and more on identity theft prevention via consumer education, as well as federal lawsuits against businesses and companies that fail to adequately protect consumer data.

Each and every consumer is vulnerable to identity theft and can become a target, and that is the message that needs to be heard by every consumer. With millions of Americans becoming a victim of identity theft each year, it is clearly a problem area, and a problem that many local, state, and federal agencies are having some trouble getting their arms around.

Identity theft is a growing concern for Americans today. Thieves are able to hack, steal and obtain your personal information in ways you can’t even imagine. Once this information is compromised, your financial life and your good credit can be ruined for years. It takes a lot longer to get it fixed than it did for the thief to ruin it. Most of the time, the thief is never caught and he is free to move on to the next victim. This article will give you some useful information on how these thieves can obtain your identity so that you can protect yourself.

The crime of identity theft is rising where it has become one of the fastest growing crimes of this century. Practice the art of identity theft protection for yourself so that you do not become a victim. Here are ten tips that you should follow to avoid having yourself be an easy target for identity theft.

1. Destroy private records

Do not keep private records and statements longer than you need to. If you are concerned about an IRS audit, you do not need to keep records longer than 7 years. Get rid of those credit card solicitations. Don’t just tear them up, which can be pieced back together by thieving dumpster divers, invest in a paper shredder, very inexpensive at any office supply store like Best Buy or Office Max.

If you haven’t been reading the newspapers or watching the evening news, you may not be aware that the crime of identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes of this century. Identity theft is not only for online activities, but is every bit as rampant on normal offline activities, even for people that don’t even own a computer.

The problem is that people are not careful with their personal information. A grocery store clerk asks you for your social security number or to write your social security number on a check. No way. Either decline or do your grocery shopping elsewhere, because there is no good reason for you to divulge that very personal piece of identifying information to anyone who does not need it, and I can guarantee that your grocery store does not need it.

Identity theft needs to be taken seriously as it can affect your life. Many people do not understand it, though it is the most rapidly growing crime in the United States. Identity theft means that someone has taken over your identity and is using your personal information to make purchases and deals on your behalf - with out your knowing about it. You only come to know once your creditors are clamoring for their money. Committing identity theft to make huge purchases without your knowing could be considered a very mild consequence; as such theft can be committed for terrorism, industrial espionage, and other illegal activities, that can have larger consequences.