Identity Theft

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A number of government and private organizations have information about various aspects of identity theft and fraud: how it can occur, what you can do about it, and how to guard your privacy.

To help you learn more about the problem and its solutions, we've attached a list of Web sites that you might find interesting and informative on identity theft and related topics.

Government United States:

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If you think you've become a victim of identity theft or fraud, act immediately to minimize the damage to your personal funds and financial accounts, as well as your reputation.

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To reduce or minimize the risk of becoming a victim of identity theft or fraud, there are some basic steps you can take. For starters, just remember the acronym "SCAM":

S - Be stingy about giving out your personal information to others unless you have a reason to trust them, regardless of where you are.

At Home:

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To victims of identity theft and fraud, the task of correcting incorrect information about their financial or personal status, and trying to restore their good names and reputations, may seem extremely daunting.

Unfortunately, the damage that criminals do in stealing another person's identity and using it to commit fraud often takes far longer to undo than it took the criminal to commit the crimes.

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The Department of Justice prosecutes cases of identity theft and fraud under a variety of federal statutes.

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Many people do not realize how easy it is for criminals to obtain your personal information without your knowledge. In public places, for example, criminals may engage in "shoulder surfing"; where they watch you or listen in on your phone conversations from a nearby location to obtain your personal data. By watching your actions or listening in on your conversations, a criminal can easily gain access to your secret code for the ATM, your credit card number, expiration date and verification code - all the information they need to use your cards for their purchases.

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For starters, identity theft is a crime. Identity theft and identity fraud are interchangeable terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone illegally obtains and uses another person's personal data in fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.

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