Sadly, many Americans only think of identity theft protection once they've been victimized. In the unfortunate tradition of closing the barn door after the horse has escaped, many of us install Firewalls, Antivirus software, and monitor our credit card transactions only after having lost tens (or hundreds!) of thousands of dollars and spending countless hours clearing our tarnished credit record and reputation. NOW, we're interested in identity theft protection!

If you are one of the intelligent few that is genuinely interested in identity theft protection issues after having been alerted by the many horror stories associated with ID theft, then read on.

The identity theft cases reported by the US media in recent years just goes to show how vulnerable Americans are to this rapidly growing, white-collar crime. Identity fraud (which includes identity theft cases) costs America over $52 billion ANNUALLY. Approximately 10 million Americans figure in identity theft cases each year.

Following are identity theft cases involving both average and famous Americans - which goes to show that, in a democracy like America, thieves don't discriminate!

Despite the recent drop in cases of identity theft and fraud among adult Americans (from over 10 million in 2003 to 9 million for 2006), a significant market still exists for identity theft insurance. Part of the reason is the many horror stories played up in the media, but it is also partly because identity theft insurance costs are very low.

Many find it better to purchase a $25 identity theft insurance policy than to have to worry about the consequences of an increasingly electronically driven lifestyle.

Despite the recent drop in cases of identity theft and fraud among adult Americans (from over 10 million in 2003 to 9 million for 2006), a significant market still exists for identity theft insurance. Part of the reason is the many horror stories played up in the media, but it is also partly because identity theft insurance costs are very low.

Many find it better to purchase a $25 identity theft insurance policy than to have to worry about the consequences of an increasingly electronically driven lifestyle.

The early history of identity theft is closely allied with the history of the credit card. First appearing in American literature in the mid 1990s, identity theft's first targets were said to be consumers. Credit cards, by their sheer number and indispensable role in consumerism, could be said to have spawned a history of identity theft in America.

In the mid 1990s, 65% of American adults owned, at least, one credit card. That number has since exploded by, at least, an additional 3 million new credit cardholders each year.

The early history of identity theft is closely allied with the history of the credit card. First appearing in American literature in the mid 1990s, identity theft's first targets were said to be consumers. Credit cards, by their sheer number and indispensable role in consumerism, could be said to have spawned a history of identity theft in America.

In the mid 1990s, 65% of American adults owned, at least, one credit card. That number has since exploded by, at least, an additional 3 million new credit cardholders each year.

Commercial identity theft can refer to any of three things. It can involve the thief accessing a firm's credit account. It can also mean the identity thief targeting all the employees in an organization. The thief targeting a firm's clients is the third kind of commercial identity theft.

Commercial Identity Theft - Commercial Credit

In this kind of commercial identity theft, the perpetrator gains access to the credit account, credit cards, and/or checking accounts of a targeted firm or enterprise.

Commercial identity theft can refer to any of three things. It can involve the thief accessing a firm's credit account. It can also mean the identity thief targeting all the employees in an organization. The thief targeting a firm's clients is the third kind of commercial identity theft.

Commercial Identity Theft - Commercial Credit

In this kind of commercial identity theft, the perpetrator gains access to the credit account, credit cards, and/or checking accounts of a targeted firm or enterprise.

Over the past few years, each new identity theft law seeks to protect consumers and businesses from what statistics show to be one of the fastest growing crimes in America today. Know your rights and what kind of protection the government gives you by these two examples (one state law, the other federal) of US identity theft law.

Identity Theft Law - State Credit Freeze

Did you know that half the states in America today allow you to freeze your credit report? What can this do? Well, it can stop an identity thief from taking out a credit card under your name.

The most pressing identity theft fact today is that Americans have become more vulnerable than ever before to all types of identity fraud and theft. As we manage more of our lives online and transact more business (and even socialize) over the Internet, we become more vulnerable. But even when we don't, we can't get away from it due to this identity theft fact:

Living in the information age with the rapid growth of technology all around us simply makes us more vulnerable.