| According to the Federal Trade Commission there were 1,223,370 complaints (318,076 for identity theft, 643,195 for fraud) in the United States for all of 2008. Read the full report for 2008 (pdf). |
What is Identity Theft?
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personally identifying information, like your name, Social Security number, or credit card number, without your permission, to commit fraud or other crimes.
The FTC estimates that as many as 9 million Americans have their identities stolen each year. In fact, you or someone you know may have experienced some form of identity theft. The crime takes many forms. Identity thieves may rent an apartment, obtain a credit card, or establish a telephone account in your name. You may not find out about the theft until you review your credit report or a credit card statement and notice charges you didn’t make—or until you’re contacted by a debt collector.
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 This video clip is a 10-minute
educational video that provides an
overview of identity theft and outlines the steps consumers can take
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Download the USAA Educational Foundation Booklet on Identity Theft
You will need Adobe® Acrobat® Reader® to view the PDF.
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What are you doing to protect your identity? |
The rigors of military life
can compound the problems that identity theft creates. See what unique steps you can take to protect you. |
Identity theft is serious. While some identity theft victims can resolve their problems quickly, others spend hundreds of dollars and many days repairing damage to their good name and credit record. Some consumers victimized by identity theft may lose out on job opportunities, or be denied loans for education, housing or cars because of negative information on their credit reports.
In rare cases, they may even be arrested for crimes they did not commit.
Contact us at 634-2863 for more information or assistance. If you are a victim of identity theft download the immediate steps to take to protect yourself. |
The FTC works for the consumer to prevent fraudulent, deceptive and unfair business practices in the marketplace and to provide information to help consumers spot, stop, and avoid them. To file a complaint or to get free information on consumer issues, visit ftc.gov or call toll-free, 1-877-FTC-HELP (1-877-382-4357); TTY: 1-866-653-4261. The FTC enters Internet, telemarketing, identity theft, and other fraud-related complaints into Consumer Sentinel, a secure online database available to hundreds of civil and criminal law enforcement agencies in the U.S. and abroad.
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