How is Identity Theft Affecting Every Age Group?

When consumers hear about identity theft, they think of adults who give their private information to the wrong person. However, the truth is, every age group is victimized by identity thieves, who use the identities of children, adults, and the elderly. As reported by The Press of Atlantic City, each age group suffers from unique identity theft schemes and its devastating effects.

Children

More than 19,000 incidents of child identity theft were reported in 2011, a large increase from the 6,000 cases reported in 2003. Identity thieves use personal information given to organizations such as schools to open credit cards and other accounts in the child’s name. Also, the wrongdoing can continue for years as the child grows up.

Adults

Scams targeting adults range from credit card skimming and dumpster diving, to impersonating bank representatives. An average of 9 million people in the U.S. have their identities stolen every year. Adults should refrain from giving out their personal information unless absolutely necessary and use credit monitoring services to catch any instances of I.D. theft.

Elderly

Senior citizens are frequently targeted by thieves who call under the pretense of needing their personal information to send free samples or lottery winnings. Thieves may also pose as relatives who need money for an emergency. The elderly should be skeptical of anyone asking for bank account or Social Security information and should not carry that information with them when leaving home.

Ending Victimization

If you have been the victim of identity theft. Call our offices at (866) 495-3666 for a free consultation or join us on Facebook for more information.