Terrorists Use Stolen Identities -- Are They Using Yours?

(Note: This is an extreme example to illustrate a simple point.)

Before I knew as much as I do now about identity theft, my concept of the criminal who commits this crime was much different.

Picture when you think of identity thieves? You might imagine some acne-ridden hacker in Russia stealing your credit card number and using it to buy himself a new gaming system. That happens once in a while; 11 percent of identity theft is carried out by high-tech means, and 20 percent involves credit card fraud.

Were you aware that most victims of identity theft do not learn of the crime until months or years after it occurs? One Mormon lady in Salt Lake City recently found out that she had pole danced for money in a Las Vegas strip club. She was even more surprised to learn that she owed thousands of dollars in delinquent taxes. Someone using her Social Security number owed those taxes, anyway. It might as well have been her as far as the IRS is concerned.

The most cunning identity thieves do not bother with the penny-ante credit card capers. They can find all kinds of profitable and nefarious ways to use and abuse your good name. The most dangerous terrorist cells likely operate under the identities of decent, hardworking people. It makes it easier to stay under the radar.

A sad fact: It is simple to commit identity theft. All that is needed are the victim's Social Security number and a permanent address.

"You" could be a terrorist, and you might not even know it. Is that a chance you are comfortable taking?

As I admitted, this is hyperbole, but the fact remains that identity theft is the crime of choice in this day and age. Anyone earning over $55,000 a year is in jeopardy. Those people should by all rights take steps to protect themselves.

Do you have anything to lose? There are some powerful and inexpensive tools for monitoring what is being done in your name. You can be alerted by e-mail within minutes instead of finding out years later by way of an insistent knock on the door by government agents. If someone steals your identity, wouldn't it be great to have a chance of catching them.

Isn't that worth the price of a cheeseburger?

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