Identity Theft and Precautions to Take

            As one of the fastest rising crimes in the United States, identity theft has left our nation reeling - knowing that we're vulnerable and at risk of losing every cent we've earned. Identity theft is a crime where a victim's personal, identifying information such as name, address, date of birth, social security number, and other financial information is stolen to make purchases or services.(Dadisho, 2005). .
             The popularity and worldwide conquest of the internet and smart phones has contributed to the increase of identity theft crimes. Many victims' credit ratings have been destroyed, often taking years to clean up their fraudulent history. In order to prevent these crimes, we need to understand how it's committed. Everyone should be aware of their identifying information - how much personal and financial information is in cyberspace, We also need to understand how the criminal has access to this inforamtion. This knowledge will help law enforcement combat the crime. (Dadisho, 2005). Sergeant Dadisho of the Los Angeles Police Department's suggestions included that lost or stolen wallet that contains important personal information should be reported to the police department and credit card companies immediately. Vital information should not be discussed in public and be careful of when and who you are giving your information to on the phone or through internet. In most common cases, victim's identity are stolen through personal computer which lacks of firewalls and low internet securities. .
             However, the growing crime is believed to be associated with the usage of smart phone. With the abilities to manage banking account and access internet on smart mobile, consumers are becoming more vulnerable to have their vital information be stolen. Many of these crimes occur with less precaution (Cell phone financial identity theft, 2012)1. Although, smart consumers are becoming more aware of monitoring their credit cards nowadays, but however they've become the victims of identity theft when such activities proceed with less cautions.