History of identity theft, probably the oldest crimes in the world

On the history of identity theft, it’s hard to find out exactly when and how it all started; but it’s safe to assume this type of fraud has been around for thousands of years. Of course, it’s hard to believe it has ever been as wide spread and causing the loss of such large amount of money as it is today the History of identity theft is changing with technology advancement.

Although we look at the “electronic age” as a symbol of development, this also had the consequence of opening a whole new world to a new type of crime: the cyber crime. Stealing personal information has never been easier. With everyone’s information stored online, if a perpetrator gets his hands on a personal database file, he can have the personal details of thousands of individuals. Keeping your data safe is a constant struggle against hackers.

If you look at FTC’s complain reports, you’ll find out that the history of identity theft is responsible for over half of it – and it has increased in these last years. There is no sign of it slowing down, and the only way to fight back is by teaching people how to defend themselves. Don’t be fooled into thinking you can do nothing about it: follow FTC’s identity theft prevention guidelines – and hopefully, you’ll never know how it feels to have your financial health completely shattered.