Your risk of being in an auto accident: 1 in 130.
Your risk of being an ID Theft victim: 1 in 27.
Identity Theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the U.S.
Know the Facts.
Identity Theft is when someone uses your name, address, Social Security number, bank or credit card account number, or other identifying information without your knowledge to commit fraud or other crimes.
Thieves get your data not only from low-tech methods like purses, wallets, and mailboxes, but also from high-tech ways such as double-swiping credit cards, and insecure transactions over the internet.
Consequences for victims are astounding with 12% of victims getting a wrongful criminal record. In addition to experiencing fraudulent credit card charges and overdrawn bank accounts, victims often discover falsified vehicle purchases, home loans, and utility charges, just to name a few examples.
Recovering on your own. According to a 2005 survey*, the average person will spend more than 81 hours of their own time trying to recover from the effects of identity theft. One-third said they have been unable to repair their tainted identities.
*Source: June 2005 Nationwide Survey, Nationwide Mutual Insurance.