Dear Consumers,

To me, the most important thing to any citizen in the United States is keeping their identity and

economic well being safe and in control. Identity theft is one of the most common types of crime

in the U.S. and the effects are devastating for anyone who has gone through it. Many people lose

money through Identity theft by people stealing their credit card information and purchasing

whatever they please without the owner knowing. I feel we need to help out people in the world

and help them be more aware of different forms of theft. How can we better prepare ourselves

and others to avoid economic struggles against their will?

What exactly is Identity theft and how can it affect people? Gale Library sums up the definition

in an article by saying, “Criminals seek out many types of personal information when targeting

individuals for identity theft. Names, Social Security numbers, dates of birth, bank account, and

credit card numbers, etc.” These criminals then use people's information to use for their own

personal gain. If you did not know what Identity theft is, this is a list of many examples of how it

can be done.

In 2015, In Sarah Sorchers News Article, What It's Like to Have Your Identity Stolen she goes

into detail about how many consumers in the United States have struggled or had issues with

Identity Fraud. She states, “Roughly 12.7 million US consumers were victims of some kind of

identity fraud”. Most likely every person has or will experience some form of Identity fraud. The
question is, how can we make it more simple for the average consumer to shop safely. I feel it is

important for every individual to know how they can protect their identity. In David Lazarus

article, The Effects of Identity Theft Last a Lifetime, he gives a simple and very reliable way to

ensure that their Identity and information stay safe. He asserts, “If you really want to circle your

wagons, contact each credit agency and have a freeze put on your files. This means no one can

unlock them without a code number, which should prevent anyone from, say, applying for a

credit card in your name.” This information of course is useful if you have discovered that

money is disappearing from your wallet.

So If you ever find yourself in a predicament with Identity theft please try to prepare yourself

and keep your identity and other personal information safe because anyone could take a picture

of a credit card, certified license, etc., and steal it all for themselves. Always be conservative

with your information. Last of all if you know anyone who could use this information please

ensure that they are careful with whoever they choose to purchase from. Any website or online

store could be a scam if they don't have a secured transaction process.

Sincerely, Berkeley Urban