A misconception, and a mistake...

When out talking to people about this issue, it's amazing that the number of people that have gotten a misconception of what ID theft really involves. The reason is that most of us only think of ID theft when it comes to our money, credit, or finanical reasons. When in realitiy it involves a much larger area than just what's on your credit report.
Their are five areas of your identity, one of which eveyone is aware of, as mentiond before, credit. So many people tell me that " they can have my idenity, it's so screwed up" or " I don't have to worry about that, my credit is so bad that they can't to anything with it" In reality even people with bad credit can get credit, it may be only $500.00 but that's enough to start the ball rolling. But what are the other four remaining areas? How about Criminal activity? That won't show up on your credit report, and you as the rightful person, may not be aware that your infromation was used to commit a crime, that is until there is a warrent out for your arrest. And one day you get pulled over for a minor traffic violation, the officer runs your info, and low and behold up pops a warrant, to which the officer orders you out of the car. Yeah it may happen, but that only happens in large cities.. right? Wrong..

How about your medical information? Yeah we all have a medical history and someone somewhere doesn't want a huge medical bill, and what are the chances of that person having the same blood type as you, what if they are on medications that you don't take, so why not use your info, and again that won't show on your credit report as well, that is untill it's already gone to collections.
Let's not forget your Charactor, basically who you are, your life stlye, more and more employees are looking a your credit history, not so much to see what you credit score is, they are looking for patterns, do you pay your bills on time, how many accounts do you have opened, how many addresses have you had in the past five years?
With more and more employees needing jobs, and the increase of illeagal immigrants comming in to better there lives and there families lives, what are the chances of your SSN being used to get housing, loans, employment, school, ect, ect. How would you know if someone had your info and gotten a job, you wouldn't, that is until they don't pay taxes and the IRS is comming for YOU.
So there is more to ID theft than just credit, and what is on your credit report, it's about who you are, your family, and it's name. Try something google your own name, and see what you pull up, i did.. You may be surprised as to how many peole have the same names...