It is estimated by the FTC that by the year 2009, 1 in 4 Americans will become a victim of identity theft.
On average most Americans will spend 175 hours or over 7 months recovering from identity theft, without re-establishing their credit score to 100% pre-event status.
Over 100 million Americans have had their personal information breached from various institutions exposing their identity. It goes way beyond your credit score. Your identity can be stolen for various forms of use, including:
Medical Insurance
The use of your medical insurance for fraudulent medical claims. This could affect not only you but your family as well exhausting all medical benefits.
Criminal Identity Theft
The use of your identity to commit crimes resulting in arrest warrants and a criminal recordwithout you or your family members knowledge.
Employment/ Social Security
The use of your identity and information to obtain employment. As well, often overlooked income reported to the Social Security Administration, & IRS.
Financial Theft
The use of your identity to obtain:
- Student Loans
- Utilities
- Auto Loan
|
- Cell Phones
- Mortgages
- Credit Cards
|
The Secondary Effects of ID Theft are:
- False Medical History
- Denied Employment
- Collection Harrassment
- Arrest Warrants
- Denied Credit/ Tuition/ Loans
- Increased Interest Rates
- Increased Premiums/ Cancelled Insurance
