Profile of an Identity Thief: Fraudsters are all around

PR Log (Press Release) – May 27, 2009 – When people think of identity thieves, they often picture a criminal sneaking into their trash can or stealing their wallet in a crowded area. What many don’t realize is that fraudsters are all around, making identity theft a difficult crime to predict and detect.

“Identity theft is a low risk, high reward crime, and because of that, more and more people are trying to make a quick buck off someone else’s dime,” said Bill Morrow, CEO of identity theft protection company CSIdentity (http://www.CSIdentity.com). “Because identity thieves are all around, it is important for people to take the necessary precaution of signing up for an identity theft protection service that keeps them and their personal information safe.”

Identity theft is sometimes committed by the victim’s family member or close friend. For example, a parent with bad credit may apply for a credit card in his / her child’s name or Social Security number.

Criminals looking to “legally” obtain a job may also commit identity theft. Once a person gets a hold of your Social Security number and other personal data, he / she is able to fill out job applications using that information. When the employer runs a background check, the search is run on your information, not the applicant’s. Without your knowledge, people could be working across the nation using your name, date of birth and / or Social Security number.

Identity thieves can also be found around the world. Through online illegal chat rooms and Web sites, fraudsters are able to purchase identities for as little as $1. Professional identity thieves purchase thousands of identities at a time using e-gold to conduct the transaction. They are then able to resell the identities for a profit or even use the information on their own to apply for credit cards and loans. If the thief obtains 25,000 credit card numbers and charges $5 for each, the criminal has a substantial payday and is almost impossible to catch.  

Bill Morrow is chairman and CEO of CSIdentity, an identity theft protection company that offers a comprehensive suite of business and personal security solutions targeting all aspects of identity theft. CSIdentity’s comprehensive Security Suite provides the industry’s strongest protection solutions, including identity validation, comprehensive background screenings, identity theft protection and data breach management. For more information, visit http://www.CSIdentity.com.