How can your identity be stolen?

Personal data is information that identifies you: your name and surname, your picture, your address, your phone, etc. Your personal data tells your life story: who you are, where you live, what you do, what you like...

In the past when thieves stole a wallet, all they were looking for was money. Nowadays they are looking for personal data, as well as information on credit cards and checks. And there are plenty of ways for them to obtain your personal data:

• Send fake mail, including email, in which they pose as a bank, agency or service asking for your personal data.
• Stay in close proximity to you in order to listen to your conversations in public to obtain your personal data, or watch you type in your pin number at the ATM.
• Hack into servers that store sensitive information, such as the servers for video games, banks, etc.
• Steal confidential documents.

The information they steal allows the modern thief to assume your identity when carrying out criminal acts such as:

• Using your credit history.
• Making financial transactions on your behalf, including opening credit accounts in your name.
• Impersonating you via mail and/or email.
• Impersonating you in cyber forums and social networks.
• Stealing benefits that belong to you.
• Committing illegal acts which, in turn, incriminate you.

If you think that you have been a victim of identity theft, there are steps you can take that show you how to get your identity back.

Want more information about Identity Theft? Look no further!

• What is identity theft?
• Signs of Identity Theft
• Preventing Identity Theft
• Password Protection
• Protecting Children from Identity Theft