Criminals may also be able to open up new accounts on your name and use it without paying the bills. You will realize this as a problem when the delinquent accounts turn up on your credit report. Criminals can also establish a phone and wireless service in your name and use it as their own. They can also open new bank accounts and write bad checks on it. However, in the past few years, one's social security number has proven to be the cause that threatens both one's personal protection and security. Identity theft continues to be a threat to many individuals in America and across the globe. Unfortunately, although the social security number is supposed to provide one with security, it has been found most often to be the cause of identity theft. How did this happen? Your personal information and sensitive numbers were never physically separated from you. Unfortunately, carelessly giving away your social security number or other sensitive information may put you at risk for identity theft. A database with all your information may be sold to another entity that may use your data to make purchases in your stead without you knowing. There s no way patching it up immediately, for criminals have all pretext to blackmail his victims pestering him further to the police. If you re a victim of identity theft, never loose time to research primarily in troubleshooting your problem. It is not easy, for the authorities at times will not listen. The convenience itself is the beginning of horror. Identity theft cases happen when another person gets access to use private information not belonging to them. In the United States, the highest cases come from age ranging 30 to 39, obviously those from the group of productive working class. Identity theft cases are estimated to be 700,000 people each year, an alarming number where each will spend an average of $1000.00 for the damage. Because of the big market for financial products such as credit cards, credit institutions have made it easier for people to apply for credit cards. This in turn has made it easier for people to give out their personal information that can be at risk of being stolen. Even having these credit applications available online has proven to be a big reason for the increase of identity theft.