Identity Theft Up In 2008
According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft cases surged in 2008. Most people don't think it can happen to them but, even when you guard yourself 100% of the time, it only takes one breach at your bank or other financial institutions and your account is wiped out.
According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft cases surged in 2008. Most people don't think it can happen to them but, even when you guard yourself 100% of the time, it only takes one breach at your bank or other financial institutions and your account is wiped out.
Last year, ID theft was by far the biggest complaint to the FTC, representing 26 percent of total problems reported. The next biggest one--third-party and creditor debt collection scams--represented only 9 percent of complaints. The FTC's annual Consumer Sentinel Network report (PDF), released Thursday, details that ID theft complaints totaled nearly 314,000 in 2008, up from about 259,00 in 2007 and up substantially from about 31,000 in 2000.
