Identity Theft â How Does it Undo the Victim?

In almost every State and country, identity theft seems a normal occurrence. It happens every day with shocking numbers of victims. This is especially true in the United States. It causes considerable problems not only to the society as a whole but especially to the victims.

One of the emotional turmoil this causes is the stressful situation where a victim is investigated. This is when a victim does the explanation during court proceedings. Background investigation disturbs the typical day of the person involved. Not only is this stressful but embarrassing too. Neighbors, friends and colleagues might think the victim is really a criminal.

Besides that, the victim feels violated in his privacy. He may feel he does not have secrets anymore. To those who are careful but were still victimized, they feel they have inadequate identity theft protection.

It also makes victims paranoid. They might suspect almost anybody even those who are honest and credible individuals. Though being paranoid is a form of identity theft protection, it affects the victim’s relationship to the people around him.

On top of these, it may cause you to be apprehended with crimes you did not commit. This is because thief can do illegal activities associating your name. He may be involved in bank robbery, rape, murder and other crimes in which you know nothing about. All you have to do is to allow yourself to be handcuffed if that situation comes.

In addition, the thief can do anything with your identity. He may buy expensive house, cars, personal effects, DVDs and many more. He may also apply for loans until your financial company will haunt you of delinquent payments.

Psychologically, this causes you sleepless nights thinking on how you are going to report identity theft to the authorities and to your financial company. Most of all how you are going to get back your clean credit report. The long wait of the correction may further add to your disturbed night sleep. Statistics shows it will take 4 months to years to straighten out the problem.

If the victim cannot stand the emotional and psychological effect of this, it will eventually affect him physically. He might not eat as usual because of depression, feels constipated or experience loose bowel movement, and undergo other physical symptoms which may lead to the worst scenario.

All in all, the effect of identity theft to the victim is devastating as it affects the totality of a person. Although, the effect differs from individual to individual, victims all experience emotional, psychological and physical harms it causes.

The One Thing That Will Finally Get Your Attention

Your attention can be divided to several issues in a minute alone. You cannot be put to blame if this is the case since man is a complex creature that is capable of doing so. All the time, you are distracted and most often, it is difficult to get your undivided attention. But what if your name and financial future is on the line? Your world will stop.

For a split second, you cannot breathe and the endless stories about identity theft burn your chest at the very moment. You are the victim, the vulnerable victim who has not discovered the crime of the traitor until after identity theft check. It was your officemate who delved into dumpster diving to get your information and exploit the chances of having them. But you did not know this. No, you did not. And now the law is pushing you to talk about loans you did not make, credit cards that the thief extensively swiped all over the metro and the bankruptcy statements that you did not file.

Identity theft can ruin your life and can taint your name. Here is what you can do:

1. Assess
   
   Assessment by identity theft check is one good action when suspicion arises. If you think it is a fraud, then have a credit repair company fix the problem. Even they can be capable of evaluating your credit report for signs of identity theft. Therefore, having your reports reviewed every so often will help in the early discovery of the crime.



2. Report
   
   Once you reaffirm that you are a victim of it, one of the most important action is to report the case. First, contact your credit card companies and file an identity theft so that they may stop the transactions which may occur in the future. You may contact the credit report bureaus to trace the thief as fast as possible. And not to forget, the Federal Trade Commission can help gather information for better development in the case.



3. Claim
   
   You have the privilege of credit and by this you have a right as a citizen of the state.  You can claim your rights to freedom and protection from crime. Use the power of information to better equip you with the right action or the right decision against identity theft. Credit report bureaus may guide you through the steps in clearing your name in the eyes of the law.



Clear your mind and think fast. The thief is out there causing as much damage as possible. What can you do at such a time? Are you even capable of doing anything? What can you do to save your identity? The clock is ticking, so as you financial future ahead of you.

Home Stealing â How Crooks Can Literally Steal Your Home

Everyone has heard of home burglary before, right? Thugs break in and take things of value from you home. But that is not what I am talking about here.

I am talking about a new criminal activity that has recently become very popular among thieves and crooks. I am talking about literally stealing your home from you without you even knowing about it.

The term is known as ‘house stealing’. It not the actual physical act of loading your home on a tractor bed and driving off. It is perpetrated by a crook or band of thieves assuming your identity and changing the ownership of your home and cashing it out. This is another version in long line identity theft techniques. Here is how it happens and what you can do to protect yourself.

These con artists and fraudsters first target a property of interest. They find out the details of the properties ownership which is readily available as a public record at your local courthouse or city hall.

They create fake identity papers such as a counterfeit social security card or a phony driver’s license. Then they make a trip to an office supply store where they can easily obtain the necessary real estate documents and paperwork they need. Using their fake identification card(s) and the newly created property deeds, they file these with you local government authorities. Unless caught during the act, the property ownership transfers into the name of the new owners. Then they are free to refinance or sell the property, all without the rightful owner ever knowing this has happened!

How does this happen? Doesn’t the government agency know that it is a fraudulent activity? Apparently not since proper identification was provided. Now, your house is stolen and is in someone else’s name. Now the new ‘owner’ can refinance or sell to an unsuspecting buyer, pocket the proceeds and disappear to start the con all over again somewhere else.

House stealing can be stopped. If you use a credit monitoring service or subscribe to an identification theft protection service, you may already be protected. Check with your service provider and check to see if they provide constant monitoring of your credit reports for any liens being placed against your home.

The actual process and the ease with which this can be done are downright frightening. What can you do to protect yourself? The FBI advises that the best way to ensure you are protected is to monitor your county or local authority’s deeds office for any and all liens created and assigned against your property.

And there is a website you can visit for a free solution that does just that. This is free service will monitor public documents for any association with your registered property(s) and will alert you in any case there is a change made to them.

Find out more at their website at http://www.epropertywatch.com

Beware Of The Current Boom In Identity Theft

The crime of identity theft is booming and now more than ever, you need to change your habits to become more conscious of safeguarding your personal information so that it does not get into the wrong hands.

You may not be aware of the boom in the crime of identity theft but it is a crime that continues to increase, especially as many people become less careful with their personal information and who they are willing to give it to. Just as an example, almost 8 million people were victims of identity theft of some form during 2006.

It is hard to understand why there is such a major increase in this type of crime, which is a crime that barely existed only 10 to 15 years ago. Yes, there were fraud cases back at that time, but not nearly to the extent nor the sophistication that today’s identity theft crimes display.

Much of the reason, it must be assumed, is due to the Internet boom and how there are literally millions more people online every day than there were several years ago. But this is NOT to say that the Internet or the information technology craze is a bad thing, not at all. What it does mean, however, that it is easier than ever for people to share personal information online. There is no personal interaction required to type information into a web form or via instant messenger or via email, when in reality, you do not know for 100% sure exactly WHO is receiving the information you are transmitting into cyberspace. You may THINK it’s your bank asking you to verify your information or this great new friend you met in a forum that teaches Sunday school, but do you really know?

For the most part, most consumers are unaware of what information they are NOT required to divulge. People who are relatively new to the Internet and email do not realize that their bank or credit card company would NEVER ask them to verify personal information online, yet thousands of people fall victim to email scams every year by doing so because the email looks so “official”. What they don’t realize is that almost any 12 year old worth his salt can create an “official looking” email that probably would look better than one the real bank or credit card company would send out themselves!

Never give out your personal information, account information or PIN codes via an online form or to a telemarketer over the phone. Even if you don’t have doubts about the identity of the person calling, be cautious anyway and YOU initiate the call to the bank or credit card company so you know who you are calling.

Invest in a paper shredder, which are less than $40 at almost any office supply store. And with those credit card offers you get in the mail every week? Shred them. If you are like most people and simply tear it in half and throw it in the trash, this becomes gold for the identity thieves who regularly engage in “dumpster diving” to piece back together such offers so they can steal your identity.

Protect your identity and your personal information. It may be a bit more trouble than you are used to taking, but if your identity is stolen, you will spend weeks, month, and even years trying to get things straightened back out.

Protect Yourself Against Identity Theft

Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the world today. You’ve worked hard to get and maintain a good credit rating. There are several steps you can take today to ensure that you are protected as much as possible against the crime of identity theft, which can sink your credit rating to negative numbers almost overnight.

It seems like you can hardly watch the TV news or read the daily newspaper anymore without seeing a report of identity theft or seeing the topic of identity theft coming up as a very hot topic. Although identity theft is not a well-known type of crime, it is one of the fastest growing and insidious crimes in the world today.

Let’s look at a typical case of what happens with identity theft. Very simply, someone opens an account, like a Visa or MasterCard, or perhaps at a major department store, using YOUR name, YOUR social security number, YOUR date of birth. This is all information that supposedly, YOU would be the only one that would know, so it appears legitimate. The address is frequently not your address, but with the frequency that people move these days, a different address seldom throws up a red flag. Since you have good credit, the new account is approved, and the new credit card is mailed to “you” at the address provided on the application.

Now what happens? The thief may repeat the process and open 2-3 or even a dozen or more new accounts. Having the cards in hand, the thief goes out and charges those cards to the hilt, purchasing things like a plasma TV, a high-end computer system, top of the line digital camera, even a late model used car, and much more.

A couple of months down the road, you get a call from the collections department with American Express, Citibank Visa, your local department store, and sometimes even ALL of these. They want to know if there is a problem with your new account, since you have not made any payments to date. Huh? In the vast majority of cases, this is your first indication that you have been a victim of identity theft.

It is not a pretty picture. The lender is going to assume that you are just trying to fabricate a story so you can enjoy all the new toys you bought without having to pay for them. And most of those creditors will get fairly hostile with you, and in the meantime, they are more than happy to start reporting your huge delinquency to the credit bureaus so that your previously sterling credit rating starts going to the dogs in a hurry.

The good news is that the error can be resolved … eventually. But it is going to take months and even years to get your credit rating restored to where it was before, as well as a significant amount of your time and possibly even legal fees. You see, those lenders who approved “your” new account don’t want to take responsibility for merchandise that was purchased and will probably never be found again. The ONLY thing they have to allow them to track it down is your social security number and date of birth, so since that is the only thing they have, they hound you like a pit bull. Unfortunately, they also take the attitude of you being guilty until being presented with irrefutable proof that you are innocent and a victim of identity theft.

Do not take a lax attitude about identity theft because it can happen to you, and I can guarantee that it is significantly less fun than a root canal. There are many steps you can take that will help guard you against identity theft, and you are highly encouraged to take those steps as soon as possible.

Making Yourself Aware of Identity Theft and Fraud

Identity Theft Protection for 2007. Don’t let it happen to You!

Any form of theft is a violation to the law. It causes infringement to the right of an individual, an organization or even a group of companies. Moreover, for every infraction there is a corresponding sanction.

Majority of the general public are aware about it. However, only few can understand regarding this matter. There is a necessity for clarification because it can bring so much impact to several aspects of both the business and the group of individuals concerned.

Are you aware that there is also the so-called identity stealing and fraud that happens in the web world? With the advent of technology, where everything almost functions through computer systems, there is a lot of falsification that can happen.

Identity theft in its strictest sense refers to stealing of your personal data. These data are usually found in your typical credit card. The data will constitute your SSN number, license number, credit card and also your bank account number as well as your mother’s maiden name. In other words, if all of this necessary information will be stolen from you, they can also perform transactions using your identity.

Identity robbing and fraud indeed ruins your personal confidentiality. This is something critical because it can cause havoc in your life also. You do not even know if someone is planning against you or your property.

The worse thing is that, traditional credit cards are not used in the line anymore. Almost all the transactions already pass through the computers and even the credit cards. It is easier to steal your identity through computer access because of it being accessible to the public.

You should secure yourself at all times. Be sure that you are always ready if somebody steals your identity. It is a fact that it is quite difficult to do this, primarily because everything is out of your control.

Bear in mind that you are responsible for taking significant actions in order to prevent your identity from being taken away from you by others. Do not let them benefit from the fruits of your labor.

You should always beware of the people that are expert in terms of identity theft and fraud. They know all of the tactics and strategies in stealing your identity. Some of these people even study all the tricks that they can do so they may execute the crime clean.

Yes, identity rip-off and fraud can be both considered crime. Fraud usually happens after somebody steals your identity, because it allows him or her to manipulate your personal information with these illegal actions.

Your personal identity can be a greatest tool also for deceiving other people. This will particularly happen if the business transaction will happen computer to computer. So many people are becoming wealthy with this fraudulent act.

You should not loose hope because there are still certain actions you can take to prevent yourself from being a victim of identity theft and fraud. It will also vary depending on the place where you are.

If you are at a boarding house, do not trust your roommates too much. Make sure that you keep all your personal data properly hidden. It is not good if you will be exposing your entire personal identity to your roommates. Its smarter if you send and receive your mail at the nearest post office in your town than leave in the mailbox at your boarding house. You can also crumple and destroy all the unnecessary forms that will include your personal data immediately so that others will not have an access to this anymore.

If you are at work, you can refer to some agencies that can guarantee you for the security of your personal data. Do not forget to confirm if your personal data is held safely. Make sure that when making business transactions, avoid trusting other people especially those that ask your personal information via phone. You can verify if it concerns business matters or any legal operation.

Likewise, on your computers avoid posting too much information regarding your personal identity. Exposing yourself too much to the public is not advantageous. Do not cause a menace to your life.

Identity Theft â Are YOU at Risk?

Chances are you think that you won’t be affected by the nation’s number one fast-growing crime. Think again. Identity theft is on the rise. Find out what you don’t know about ID Theft and how you can protect yourself.

Chances are you think that you won’t be affected by the nation’s number one fast-growing crime. Think again. Identity theft is on the rise. In 2005, 9.3 million Americans were victims of identity theft according to the Javelin Better Business Bureau survey. 68.2 percent of the cases involved thieves who obtained personal information off-line vs. only 11.6% obtained online. ID theft through lost or stolen identification, misappropriation by family and friends, and theft of paper mail are among the most common ways thieves gain access to your information. Most people do not have a clue how to protect themselves. For a moment, let’s just examine what could happen in your life if you are targeted for this crime: ¡¤ Victims now spend an average of 600 hours recovering from identity theft over a period of years. This equals nearly $16,000 in lost potential or realized income. Typical out-of-pocket expenses are $1,500 on average. ¡¤ Even after a thief is stopped from using your information, sometimes up to as much as 10 years, victims still struggle with the impact of identity theft. That includes increased insurance or credit card fees, inability to find a job, higher interest rates, as well as continuing to battle collection agencies that refuse to clear records despite substantiating evidence of the crime. How stressful do you think this situation would be? ¡¤ The emotional impact on victims is likened to a violation similar to what victims of violent crime describe including rape, violent assault and battering. People feel dirty, ashamed, embarrassed and often are afraid to ask for help. Many have reported a split with a spouse of significant other as well as being unsupported by family members. Most victims report a lack of responsiveness from those entities they turned to for help including police, collection agencies, credit issuers, utility companies and financial institutions. The average arrest rate for ident! ity thef t based on reported cases is 5%. The message here is crystal clear – we have to fight identity theft ourselves! Exactly what are the different types of identity theft and how do identity thieves get access to your personal information? Financial Identity Theft This is the kind of identity theft most people think of first. Thieves hack into your computer at home or at the office and steal personal information. It accounts for about 28% of all identity theft happening today. For example, thieves will: ¡¤ use your line of credit to make purchases ¡¤ use your credit cards to make purchase ¡¤ open up a mortgage using your name and social security number ¡¤ create a loan using your name and social security number ¡¤ file bankruptcy under your name ¡¤ open phone or utility accounts under your name ¡¤ attempt checking and/or savings fraud (accessing your accounts) ¡¤ attempt to use existing accounts to make purchases Under the Fair Credit Billing Act, your liability in the case of unauthorized credit use is limited to $50 per card. However, in order to take advantage of this protection, you must file a dispute letter within 60 days after the first bill containing the error was mailed to you. So what happens if the thief changes your address and you don’t receive your bill? Guess what, you are held financially liable. In addition, the Electronic Fund Transfer Act has the same 60 day notification provision or your liability is unlimited. Not fair, but it’s the reality. Some credit card companies promote zero liability for these kinds of fraudulent transactions. However the reality is that there are exclusions including cards used by business purposes, ATM transactions, and certain PIN-based transitions, all transactions processed outside the card issuer’s network, and cases where the card holder gave permission for someone else to use their card. You have to read your cardholder agreement carefully to find out t! he exact details. Financial Identity Theft has significant impact on a person’s life including: financial losses, inaccurate credit reports that can mean being denied a job, difficulty getting new lines of credit, trouble opening new accounts as well as higher costs for loans and insurance. The toll of this kind of financial loss can be significant as can be witnessed in a recent lawsuit filed by a plaintiff against Home Depot, Case #02CC13327 in Orange County Superior Court, where a judge awarded the plaintiff $1 million in damages for identity theft. Criminal Identity Theft This is the second most common type of identity theft and most people aren’t even aware of it. In this case, a criminal uses your information during encounters with the police. For example, a thief who has your identifying information gets arrested for a crime and gives them your name and social security number. One day you are driving along and get stopped for a traffic infraction. The cop runs your name through their database and finds out you just committed a bank robbery in another state. Suddenly you are being hauled off to jail for something you didn’t even do! Never mind how stressful and embarrassing this mistake could be, it can also lead to an erroneous criminal record, outstanding arrest warrants, and possible consequences such as being fired from your job for not disclosing a conviction and even get you thrown in jail. What if this happens on a Friday night and they toss you the local jail overnight? Do you have someone you can call that could bail you out? Can you afford this kind of mistake happen in your life? The results of this kind of criminal identity theft could include a negative impact on future employment, loss of security clearance, lost jobs and higher insurance premiums. It is the most difficult type of ID theft to clear up and in some cases, almost impossible. Some victims have been reduced to carrying court documentation with them at all times to! prove w ho they really are and not the actual criminal. Social Security Identity Theft If someone uses your social security number to get a job and they have a continuous work record, guess who gets to pay the tax bill? The answer is you. There are cases where someone’s social security number was used a total of 37 times by different people. In the employment screening business, we see this happen every day. Medical Identity Theft This kind of ID theft involves someone using your health insurance for medical and/or hospital care. The result is a mixed up medical record that could result in potentially deadly consequences. For example, what would happen if someone used your identification and health insurance number and got an HIV test that proved positive? Now all of a sudden, that record is attached to your medical records and every time you see a healthcare person, they think you have aids. In addition, this can seriously impact your ability to get insurance and it can result in significantly higher insurance premiums. A recent article in the November 2006 issues of Reader’s Digest reported that ¡°fraud is estimated to account for as much as ten percent of all health care costs ¡­ including medical identity theft.¡± ¡°An insurance card is like a Visa card with a $1 million spending limit,¡± says Byron Hollis, national anti-fraud director of the Blue Cross and Blue Shield Association. The most frightening part of this article is the fact that organized crime rings are realizing how lucrative identity theft is and are adding a new dimension to the problem. Driver’s License Identity Theft Our driver’s license is the standard and most often used form of identification in United States. ID thieves are professionals at creating fake driver’s licenses that are virtually impossible to detect. Having this form of picture ID opens the door to numerous other types of ID theft. On October 28, 2006 in California, a worker at the Santa Ana DMV w! as arres ted for her alleged role in an ID theft scheme that used applicant information to create fraudulent licenses. The indictment alleged that she used her position to sell fraudulent drivers licenses to co-schemers who paid between $1,500 to $5,000 for each fraudulent license. She allegedly obtained the identifications of victims from the DMV database and changed their address and identifiers to match the fraudulent purchaser who then had a new DMV photo taken. What can You do to Protect Yourself? The good news is there are many things you can do to protect yourself, but you must be proactive. This is a crime you cannot afford to wait to become of a victim of. 1. Order the Federal Trade Commission’s free report on identity theft by visiting www.consumer.gov/idtheft or calling 877 382-4357 2. Get a copy of your own credit report and review it carefully for accuracy. Because of the new Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act (FACTA) you can get a free copy once a year at www.annualcreditreport.com 3. Be careful with your mail. Don’t use an unsecured mailbox when mailing anything containing financial information. Drop off at the post office or in a post office collection box. 4. Guard your trash. Identity thieves will look for credit card receipts and applications, insurance forms, bank statements etc. Buy a shredder and use it regularly. 5. Use your Social Security Number only when absolutely necessary. Before you give your SS# to anyone, ask why it is needed and how it will be used, or shared with others and how the company protects your personal information. 6. Pay attention to billing cycles. If your bills don’t arrive on time, follow up with your creditors. A missing statement can mean an ID thief has taken over your account and changed your billing address. 7. Be cautious with online purchases. Before purchasing anything on the internet, look for the icon of a lock in the lower right-hand corner of your browser windows. If it’s there, you’re dealing with a secure site. It n! ot, you& #8217;ll be safer finding another merchant. 8. Remove personal information from old computers. Files you think you have deleted from your computer may remain on your hard drive where hackers can easily access them. Use a wipe utility program to delete files with sensitive data. 9. Opt-out of receiving pre-approved credit cards offers in the mail by calling 888 5-OPT-OUT or going to www.optoutprescreen.com 10. Immediately sign up for an ID Theft Shield program which can not only monitor your credit and let you know when anything changes, but can also provide restoration after the fact. Don’t wait on this one – Click here now for more information

Medical Identity Theft

Unfortunately, medical identity theft has been on the rise in recent years. With healthcare costs on the rise, many are becoming desperate in their efforts to obtain the treatments and medication they need. This has driven some to turn to fraud as a solution.

Medical identity theft occurs when someone takes another person’s personal information and uses it to receive free medical care or prescription medication. Thieves steal names, social security numbers, Medicare numbers, and more in order to effectively prove to healthcare providers that they are covered under someone else’s plan.

This criminal problem has become such an issue that in 2007 alone, around 500,000 Americans fell victim to it. Even more astounding is the fact that this number has only gone up since then. In order to protect yourself from this financially devastating form of fraud, make sure that you protect your personal information and keep close watch over your medical bills and notifications. If you notice something unusual or a charge for treatment you didn’t receive, contact your insurance company immediately.

Common Fraud Schemes

There are very strict laws and regulations that aim to protect the privacy of all patients. Despite these, however, some thieves are still able to evade the system and carry out their ID theft schemes. According to the U.S. Department of Health & Human Service, some of the more common tactics that are used include the following:

• Approaching you in a public space (mall, parking lot) and offering you some sort of service in exchange for your Medicare number
• Calling you, claiming to be conducting a health-related survey, and asking for your Medicare number
• Calling you, claiming to be telemarketers that work for Medicare or Social Security and are asking for phone or internet payments

With regards to the information that is stored in the computer system at your insurance agency and doctors’ offices, there isn’t much you can do. You can only trust that they have the correct computer and networking protection the keep wanted intruders out of their systems.

10 Ways Identity Thieves Steal Your Personal Information

Identity thieves want your personal information and they are desperate to get it. These criminals use stolen personal IDs for their own illicit gain, and they will go to extreme lengths to steal your personal identifying information. Here is a list of ten (10) different ways your ID can be stolen without you even knowing it.

1) Dumpster Diving. Perhaps the easiest way to steal your ID. You might be surprised at all the stuff you inadvertently throw out that contains personal data. Identity thieves simply rummage through your trash to find any personal information you may have thrown away in the trash. Always shred any documents that have your name, social security number or any other identifying information on it before disposing of it.

2) Steal your bank, credit union, credit card, and other financial statements right out of your mailbox.

3) Divert your mail to another address by filling out a change of address form

4) Hack into a bank account or other financial institution.

5) Steal your PIN at a gas station or grocery store Point of Sale (POS), or at an ATM.

6) Clone your credit card number at bars and restaurants where the card is processed out-of -sight behind closed doors.

7) Theft of sales information or receipts from a retailer.

Hack into a store’s database to access customer information, rewards programs, etc.

9) Phishing attempts. Phishing rhymes with “fishing” and that’s exactly what it is – an attempt at fishing for your personal information by online ID criminals. You receive an email that appears to come from your bank, online retailer, or other legitimate company you do business with. The email will ask you to “confirm your account information” by supplying Social Security number, credit card or bank information or other information that is specific to your account. When you send the requested information the thieves can now use it to access your account to commit fraudulent transactions.

10) Theft of your personal information at an auto dealership or mortgage lender. This data is used to access the consumer’s credit history for fraudulent purposes.

In summary, you now have a list of some of the ways your ID can be stolen by criminals with malicious intent. Knowing how these crooks can steal your personal data puts you on the path to being more proactive in guarding your personal information and keeping it safe from fraudulent use.

Some Impacts of Identity Theft

Being a victim of identity theft can have a huge impact on your personal life. Most victims of identity thieves find the experience both frightening and frustrating. No matter how the theft occurred, online or in the real world, it is not something that people can just deal with and move on. Identity theft sometimes affects its victims for years after the crime has been committed.

Having to deal with the after effect of identity loss, years after their identity was stolen, adds to the anger and frustration that such victims feel. Victims of identity theft were first violated when their identities were stolen, but they may feel continually violated as they try to get on with their life.

One thing that victims of identity theft agree on is that getting your life back in order, after having your identity stolen, is not easy to do. Once you find your identity has been stolen, you may need to cancel all of your credit cards, change passwords to any of your accounts, place fraud alerts with the credit reporting agencies, and file a complaint with the police department, or even the FBI. Having to take care of all of this is stressful for most people. To make matters worse, when you place a fraud alert with the credit bureaus, your ability to even use your credit becomes much more difficult. In just trying to open up a new line of credit, you can encounter many obstacles.

Recovery from identity theft can be mentally exhausting and may affect your life because of how much energy the process consumes. People who have been victims have spent hours trying to put things right. Some banks and retailers may be more cooperative with identity theft victims and correct account records without much questioning, but that is not always the case. When banks and retailers are not cooperative and considerate, the victims of identity fraud may have to spend hours, days, and possibly weeks proving who they are and that they were not responsible for what happened.

Having your identity stolen also affects the way that you view things. People who have become a victim of identity thieves often find it hard to trust other people again, because they are afraid that they might be victimized once again. For example, someone who has had their identity stolen might find it hard to use a credit card again and will only pay with cash. The lack of trust changes who you are as a person, and is one of the impacts of stolen identity that people seldom think about.