Identity Theft: The Fastest Growing Crime in America

In a series of three videos, Dara Rose talks about her personal experience with identity theft and how it impacted her life. Look for her next video, soon.

Identity theft is the fastest growing crime in the United States. According to Bankrate.com, 41 million Americans have been the victim of identity theft. Think tank Privacy and American Business says the number is more like 44 million or 1 out of every 5 adults. Each year, thieves steal more than $16 billion dollars using stolen identities. It’s the fastest growing crime in the United States. The FBI says that every three seconds, an identity is stolen. That’s 35,000 every day and more than 15 million every year. Children and seniors are the most targeted for identity theft in the nation. Technology has made identity theft easier and easier, through the use of skimmer devices and cameras which are installed at gas pumps, ATMs and credit card machines, which are able to grab your card number and pin. Once the thieves have this information, they often bundle it and usually sell it to others. Or they might use the information to empty bank accounts or make large credit card purchases There are ways to protect yourself. Visit this link provided by the F.B.I. to learn how: https://www.fbi.gov/scams-and-safety/common-fraud-schemes/identity-theft