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History of Identity Theft: A Few Insights on How It All Started

The history of identity theft goes back long before computer era. There are millions of examples where embezzlement of money had been carried out by bank functionaries using the information they had at their disposal regarding the bank clients. Then there were takeovers of personal property, companies, etc through misuse of circumstances when power of attorney was given to someone trusted. The history of identity theft also bears witness to fraudulent withdrawal of cash by falsification of signature on the checks, traveling under other people’s names, obtaining insurance money under other people’s names, and so on.

Though people think that identity theft is something new and what developed in the wake of computerization, it is clear that this crime is not so new. Yes, the computerization and the advancement in technology has made it easier, since access to people’s identity and manipulation of such identity for personal gains is now just a mouse click away.

How People Gain Access to Your Personal Information

The sources are not new; the crime is not new; however, in some cases the methods might be new. As mentioned earlier, history of identity theft covers all the areas where personal information was stolen. As a matter of fact, some reports say that about 65% of the identity thefts that take place today are still based on information obtained without the help of computers. It is easy to pilfer information, which can be later used as material for identity theft. Some sources are listed below:

1. Records that is available to would be thieves during the course of their job – nurses for medical records, bank employees for financial records, insurance employees for insurance records, and so on.

2. Information can be stolen from your mail (by accessing your mailbox) where your credit card statements are sent, where your new checkbooks can be intercepted. It is easy to steal one’s identity with the help of this information.

3. As it is mentioned in the history of identity theft, the commonest source for information is the humble dustbin. The papers you throw in there contain vital information, which can be used by those interested to take over your identity with ease. This could be from your ATM slip, your credit card statements, your checkbook stubs, your old and expired credit card, and so on.