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identity theft is when someone someone portends to be you online and do things like take out lones under your name by things that you pay for

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A four minute video that discusses steps teens can take to protect themselves from identity theft.

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Tip: Don't share your personal details in email, SMS or on social media networks with people you don't know or trust.

Identity theft is a serious crime that can have damaging and far-reaching effects for its victims. By stealing your identity, a person may access your bank account, obtain credit cards or loans in your name, and potentially ruin your credit rating and reputation.

But consequences go beyond financial and reputational impacts and can be just as serious. For example, using your identity someone could wrongly claim government benefits in your name (serious fraud); use your name to plan or commit criminal activity; or pretend to be you in order to embarrass or misrepresent you, such as through social media.

Identity theft can be both financially and emotionally distressing for victims. Once your identity has been stolen it can be difficult to recover. You may have problems for years to come.

Protect yourself from identity theft

Your reputation is currency for criminals online who might use it for financial gain, or to hide their own criminal activity.

Protect your personal information and take steps to regularly check for wrongful use of your identity.

Check your privacy and security settings on your social networking profile and never give away your account details. Learn more about protecting your personal information and privacy.

Use strong, unique passwords for each online account - the personal information you put in your social networking profile could even be used by scammers to guess your passwords. Learn how to create strong passwords.

Don't accept requests to connect from strangers - the best way to keep scammers out of your life is to never let them in.

Don't use public computers to access your personal information. Always remember to clear the history, close the web browser and log out before you leave.

Don't use Wi-Fi hotspots for sensitive internet use as they are often not secure. Learn more about using public Wi-Fi networks safely.

Check your account statements - including credit cards, bank statements, telephone and internet bills - for possibly fraudulent activity.

Check your credit report at least once a year - this can help you catch any unauthorised activity.

What to do if you think your identity has been stolen

If you suspect any fraudulent use of your identity, there are some steps you should take:

Immediately report it to the website operator or agency who issued the statement (e.g. bank or social networking site), your ISP and your local police.

Lodge a report with the Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN).

Change the passwords on your accounts and close any unauthorised accounts.

Request a credit report from a reputable credit reference bureau.

Learn more about what to do and where to get help:

ACORN
The Australian Cybercrime Online Reporting Network (ACORN) is a national policing initiative of the Commonwealth, State and Territory governments. It is a national online system that allows the public to securely report instances of cybercrime. It will also provide advice to help people recognise and avoid common types of cybercrime - including identity theft.
IDCARE
IDCARE is Australia and New Zealand's national identity support service. IDCARE offers personalised support to individuals who are concerned about their personal information.

They also work with government and industry (large and small) to independently assess their capacity to respond to contemporary and emerging identity theft and misuse risks - whether physical or online. IDCARE does this to lift the standards of response, which in turn, will mean that the impact to clients and consumers from risks to personal information is lessened.

Find out more about IDCARE by visiting www.idcare.org

Find out more:

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Identity theft refers to stealing another person's name or other personal information, usually for financial gain.

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Paul Stratt is a security specialist who's worked in the field for over ten years and is a contributor to the blog, Money Crashers.
Identity theft affected approximately 17 million Americans in 2017, according to Javelin Strategy & Research.

As digital information exchange becomes more and more integral to our daily lives, your risk of falling victim to identity theft grows. Beyond the obvious negative effects-such as needing to both cancel and reorder all of your debit and credit cards-there are plenty of unexpected costs you may have to incur when you're a victim of theft or fraud.

1. Time Spent Dealing With Identity Theft

It takes an average six months and roughly 200 hours of work to recover your identity after it's been compromised, according to Identity Force. This represents time spent away from your job, family and friends, and your simple enjoyment of life.

It's unfair to have to devote so much energy to get yourself out of a predicament you don't deserve to be in the first place, but once you're there, you've got no choice. Avoid this pitfall by vigilantly guarding your personal information online.

2. Possible Arrest

If your identity is compromised, don't be surprised if the police come knocking on your door-especially if you're not aware your identity has been stolen and haven't alerted the authorities.

Getting an arrest record cleared up is not an easy task, even if it's proven to be unjustified. If you happen to be looking for a new job or hunting for an apartment when your identity is compromised, you may be in for a tough time.

3. Lower Credit Scores

If your identity is stolen for the purposes of opening up new credit accounts in your name, you may have to dispute each charge individually. Your first step is to fill out an identity theft report, which you can find at the Federal Trade Commission's website.

You can learn more about the steps to take when your identity is stolen here. The process can be long and drawn out, and until it's resolved, your credit can be negatively affected.

4. Monetary Loss

If you think banks and credit card companies simply absorb all identity theft-related losses, think again. If you wait too long to report identity theft-especially if the loss incurred was through a debit card -you could be on the hook for the entire stolen amount.

Even if these losses are in fact covered, approximately 40% of identity theft victims still incur out-of-pocket expenses required to recover your identity- the per person is average over $600, according to the Federal Trade Commission.

5. Emotional Distress

According to the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), 75% of identity theft victims reported being severely distressed by the misuse of their information.

Other emotional impacts reported by victims include fear, embarrassment, powerlessness, helplessness, or even a small percentage (7%) had suicidal thoughts. (If you're feeling suicidal for this or any other reason, please call the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-8255.)

Final Thoughts

You can take several basic measures to protect yourself from identity theft. Don't carry unnecessary information in your wallet, always be cautious with the information you submit when making online purchases, and stay vigilant when sharing personal information on your social media pages -a growing target for hackers and identity thieves.

Whether financial, emotional, or professional, the costs of identity theft are high. The time to prepare yourself is now, not after you've been hit.

What are you doing to protect yourself against identity theft?
Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are author's alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, or other company, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. All information, including rates and fees, are accurate as of the date of publication.

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Identity theft affected approximately 17 million Americans in 2017. As digital information exchange becomes more and more integral to our daily lives, there are plenty of unexpected costs you may have to incur when you're a victim of theft or fraud. Read more.

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What does identity crime cost Australia?

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What does identity crime cost Australia?

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Recent estimates by the Attorney-General’s Department indicate that identity crime costs Australia upwards of $1.6 billion each year, with the majority (around $900m) lost by individuals through credit card fraud, identity theft and scams.

More alarmingly, identity crime continues to be a key enabler of serious and organised crime, which in turn costs Australia around $15 billion annually.

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Why Care About Identity Theft? | Federal Trade Commission

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you can lose thousands of dollars though identity theft people can take out huge loans and by anything they want it also lowers your credit score. These    are only a cupola of things

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From tanking your credit score to taking your tax returns, Americans are growing increasingly familiar with the negative effects of identity theft. Sadly, that growth in awareness is likely due in large part to the huge impact has on Americans. According to FBI crime statistics, an average of 280,000 individuals register identity theft-related complaints each year, with $1.3 billion in losses reported in 2016. Spyware, malware used for surreptitiously gathering user data, and its variants like adware and keyloggers, are some of the most common tools used by cybercriminals to execute online identity theft.

How Malicious Hackers Use Spyware to Steal Your Identity

They entice you with an offer.

Even normal browsing activities like clicking on an enticing ad or filling out a form for downloadable content can lead to online identity theft when users don't know what to look for. Keyloggers can be overlaid on seemingly legitimate banking or investment apps and intrusive tracking procedures can be signed off on by users who fail to read terms and conditions notices carefully.

You can encounter spyware and other forms of malware in many ways, including:

Downloading files or software

Opening email attachments or clicking on pop-ups

Visiting devious websites

They use spyware to record and collect your personal information.

Without your knowledge, spyware runs in the background while it records your Internet browsing habits and keystrokes, monitors the programs you use and collects your personal information, which can lead to credit card fraud and online identity theft.

Spyware transmits your sensitive data, using your own internet connection.

While your computer is connected to the Internet, spyware quietly transmits your personal information to cybercriminals, which can include:

Cybercriminals use your information for illicit or illegal activities.

Once your personal information is received by the hacker who placed spyware on your computer, they can now:

Steal money and open credit card and bank accounts in your name

Sell it to other parties who will use it for illicit or illegal purposes

Pummel your PC with pop-ups, spam and unwanted messages as well as direct you to websites you never intended to visit

How to Prevent Identity Theft

Spyware used for online identity theft can be the most harmful and difficult to remove of any type of malware. Here are a few things that can help you improve your level of online identity theft security:

Continually check the accuracy of personal accounts and deal with any discrepancies immediately

Avoid questionable websites

Practice safe email protocol:

Only download software from sites you trust. Carefully evaluate free software and file-sharing applications before downloading them.

Get the latest Windows ® patches

Use public computers with extreme caution

Use antivirus protection and a firewall

The best identity theft protection begins by avoiding spyware infection in the first place. Virus protection products guard against spyware entering your computer and prevent it from exposing your personal data and slowing your computer through damage to your files and programs. A good antispyware program searches every place on your PC where spyware can hide and removes every trace to boost your PC performance and keep you safe from intrusion. While free antispyware downloads are available, they just can't keep up with the continuous onslaught of new spyware strains. Previously undetected forms of spyware can often do the most damage to your computer, so it's critical to have up-to-the-minute online identity theft protection.

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A compromised computer is fast becoming the most likely way that your identity can be stolen. Read on to learn more about how online identity fraud is committed, how your information is used, and ways you can protect yourself.

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how can you protect your self from identity theft

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how can you protect your self from identity theft

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Report identity theft. If you've discovered that your identity has been stolen, report it through the approiate channels. call the companies where the fraud occurred and let them know that someone has taken your identity. Ask them to place a alert on your accounts, then change your login and passwords.

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5 Ways to Help Protect Your Identity | Federal Trade Commission

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we were only aloud to survey people my age

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this pie chat means that the most people may age think that identity theft  is on the rise

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I was confused that someone had their identity stolen i fear that it was just someone being silly