How to Prevent Identity Theft In 1996, Mari Frank lost her identity to an internet hacker when a stranger accessed her credit report online. Ten months later, Frank, of Laguna Niguel, California, had a creditor call him about "her" outstanding debt and it was a lot, a huge lot, including payments for a red convertible that she apparently bought. As imposed, identity theft law could penalize villains from 15 to 30 years of imprisonment depending on the degree of fraudulent nuisance done, excluding revoked privileges and forfeiture of assets. Each state has passed legislations to act upon any kind of relevant identity theft cases. Each felony is closely monitored by the federal agency to enforce the law. Generally, federal prosecutors cooperate with various investigating agencies to prosecute any identity theft fraud. These are the FBI, The U.S. Secret Service, and the U.S. Postal Inspection Service. A lot of paperwork is involved when you are filing your complaint to a definite jurisdiction of theft offense. Identity theft is the fastest growing white-collar crime. It happens when an identity thief obtains some pieces of your personal information. The thief then uses the information about you without your knowledge to commit fraud or theft. The identity thief is disguised as you. The trail leads back to you. Many and many people seem to be becoming victims of such a growing threat. What exactly is identity theft and how can it do damage to our lives? It is becoming more of a problem that requires immediate solutions that can really put a stop to it. In order to be able to do something about it and protect ourselves against it, we must first be able to understand what it is. Take a note if there are irregularity listings on address and other basic data. Don t answer directly from your landline telephone, nor you d reply straight to the caller in his telephone or mobile unit for any demand on your personal identity number, or number. Queries needing response that you find doubtful should be replied direct to the office referred to, in the call.