Identity Theft: What is it and How do you protect yourself?
We’ve all read the stories of people who’ve lost money, had prescriptions filled under their names, and even been mistakenly arrested as a result of identity theft. Between 2008 and 2009, approximately 11 million Americans have been victims to this seemingly new phenomenon.
But identity theft has been around since the first time a person attempted to pretend to be someone else for dishonest reasons. Now, though, identity theft is defined as what happens when any party secures goods, services, or financial benefits using someone else’s confidential information–without that person’s permission.