Identity Theft

Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person's personal information, such as name, Social Security number, driver's license number, credit card number, or other identifying information to take on that person's identity for the purpose of committing fraud or other crimes.

Frequent methods used to steal an identity include:

• Over-sharing personal information on social media, such as birthdays, hometowns, and online resumes.
• Sharing location information via photos, such as geo-tagging and location check-ins.
• Inadvertently revealing personal financial institutions through social media profiles, usually via a "like" or a "favorite."

By following a few simple steps and suggested resources, one can easily reduce the risk of identity theft.