Identity theft is a significant threat in the digital era and cases continue to climb. It is a serious white collar crime that is plaguing our society. Identity theft is not always about money. Illegal immigration, illegal business intelligence and medical benefits thefts can also be associated with identity theft. There are different ways people can steal your information. As an example, people can steal your driver license identity and the fact that we need to always carry it everywhere also means that the risk of identity theft is increased. Bad things can happen when someone steals your driver’s license. It means that someone may falsify your information to be used for someone else’s DUI charge. You may be arrested, because you fail to appear in court for something that you didn’t do. Although the problem may still be eventually resolved if you are able to prove that you are being a victim of identity theft, it will still be a significant waste of time and money. Medical information can also be used by criminals for their own benefits.

As an example, people can easily use your name, insurance information, birth date and social security number to obtain medical benefits in your name. They will obtain treatment and tests for free and you can be surprised to see that you have a mounting medical bill, although you are perfectly healthy. If it happens, there’s a good possibility that someone is taking advantage of your medical benefits. Again, it takes time, effort and money to dispute this. Social security number identity can also be used as the source of theft. The perpetrator can use it when dealing with IRS and you will suddenly face an enormous tax bill. Because you need the help of an attorney and other legal professionals, you will still end up wasting money to deal with the situation. Character identity theft is something that happens not only in movies. It means that someone can assume your identity and they commit various crimes in your name. When it happens, you will suddenly realize that the drama is real, because you are being arrested or detained for a criminal offense that you didn’t commit. You will need to gather evidences through various sources to prove that you are not the perpetrator.

The real effect of identity theft is that you will lose money, directly and indirectly. When you think that you are being affected by identity theft, it is important to immediately report and contact the authority. You should do this to avoid losing even more money or becoming convicted for a criminal offense that you didn’t do. You should also check your information database, because it is possible that identity thieves change a few details, like mailing address and email address. Early detection will help to prevent further damages and it is also possible that perpetrators are caught. On average, you will need about 500 hours to resolve an identity theft incidence. This is a huge loss of time and effort on your part.