What is identity theft?

Identity theft is a phrase that is used to describe any kind of fraud that results in the loss of personal data, such as passwords, user names, banking information, or credit card numbers.
Identity theft is sometimes also known as phishing.

Identity theft isn't new. Thieves have always found ways to illegally acquire people's personal information through confidence scams (also known as social engineering), stealing mail from mailboxes, or even looking through trash cans or dumpsters.

With the increase of Internet banking, social networking, and other online activities, identity theft is on the rise.

To help prevent identity theft