by Leigh Goessl

Created on: August 18, 2011

Identity theft is a crime where a thief takes your personally identifying information without your permission and uses it illicitly. Generally identity thieves use your name to commit fraud or other crimes which shifts the blame on you rather than in their direction.

Often they'll obtain credit cards, open utility accounts, obtain employment, rent apartments or use your name to incur other types of debt, and then all of these notations end up on your credit report. Often the thief won't make the payments and you'll end up being contacted by debt collectors looking for their money. In extenuating circumstances, law agencies may come knocking on a victim's door thinking the victim committed a crime.

Identity thieves will use many methods in order to obtain the personally identifying information they need in order to assume your identity. While many techniques are done electronically, good old-fashioned dumpster diving is still a way thieves will use to pilfer your information.

In this respect, a trash can is a treasure chest for identity thieves. Think of all the sensitive information which still transpires on paper nowadays, eventually ending up as trash, and all the possible ways thieves could use this information.

• Bank statements

Bank statements not only give thieves your name, address and other valuable information, they also hand criminals the entry to your financial accounts. A thief can get an I.D. made up in your name and strut into a branch of your bank and empty your account. Or, if they can secure online access to your account by providing 'verifiable' information which they could have obtained in your trash, it is even easier to steal your money.

• Credit card statements

Credit card statements are very valuable. Thieves can not only pilfer your personal and account information, but also study your spending habits as well. If they charge up your account at stores you are apt to shop at, this will likely not flag anything suspicious.

Credit card companies do actively monitor shopping habits in order to try and prevent fraud, however if a thief follows your patterns, this is likely to less arouse suspicion. If you do not actively monitor your spending, you might not even notice right away yourself since the bill will list your normal stores.

• Utility bills

Utility bills offer thieves a means to gain credit or commit other types of fraud in your name. Never hold onto these receipts any longer than you need to and be sure to destroy them

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