• Identity theft is when one person imitates another person using stolen information. It is usually done for personal gain. The damage that a stolen identity can cause for a victim is far reaching. Not only can it be economically costly, but, if the thief misuses sensitive personal information, it can be socially damaging as well. The practice raises a number of common questions.
  
  

How Do I Know If I'm a Victim?

• Many signs of identity theft are subtle. For example, if you open an email account and messages that you haven't read are marked as having been read, someone may have accessed your account. Others are more obvious. For example, if your monthly bank statement shows withdrawals that you never made or your credit card statement shows charges that you don't remember, this is a good indication that someone has committed fraud against you. In general, if you notice actions attributed to you that you didn't do, this may be a sign that you're a victim.
  
  

If I Believe I'm a Victim, Whom Do I Tell?

• If you discover that you are the victim of identity theft, there are a number of people you should contact. The first parties you as a victim should call are the financial institutions that control the accounts that have been illegally accessed, as well as any others that you suspect may have been compromised. Explain your situation and they will tell you how to proceed. Next, call the police to report the crime, as well as the Federal Trade Commission, which monitors identity theft patterns nationally.
  
  

How Do Identity Thieves Commit Their Crimes?

• Identity thieves are able to commit their crimes using a number of different methods. In some cases, a thief might steal a document with an account number on it, such as a bank statement or a receipt from a credit card purchase. Many identity thieves get this information by "dumpster diving," in which they look through a person's trash. In other cases, the thief may acquire the number through guile, such as by tricking the victim into revealing it to him over the phone or by email.
  
  

How Do I Prevent It From Happening to Me?

• There are a number of steps you can take to prevent becoming a victim of identity theft. For computer accounts, you should change your password frequently, using difficult to guess combinations of letters and numbers. You should never give any sensitive information, such as social security numbers, credit card numbers or bank account numbers over the Internet unless you know the individual or company to whom you are providing this information. When throwing out financial documents, shred them first so that they are unreadable. And, if you believe a credit card or sensitive document has been stolen from you, report it to the appropriate financial institution immediately.