Losing your identity over the internet Having someone steal your identity seem to be the stuff that science fiction books and movies have on their convoluted plots. But that was before before the rise of technological advancement, before the creation of the world wide web. Now, identity theft is no longer a dream for some hackers and internet con artists. They may have obtained it from dumpsters outside of such companies. They get it from your computer, especially those without firewalls. They may be a friend or relative or someone who works for you who has access to your information Tips to Consumers: How can I prevent identity theft? While no one can totally prevent this crime from occurring, here are some tips that can help you decrease your risk. People are trained so effectively for certain specific purposes, right or wrong. Remember, individuals have personalized objectives to work out with, on various angles they re trapped into. And, possibly, one of those identity number social thefts may be tagging along target workplace areas for their misdemeanors. Online phishing happens when a scam message in your internet suggest something into validating your information records in your bank, your affiliate financier, passwords, stating the urgency of the need to update records. Sounds a very valid source but a lot more of a scam message, with the intention of stealing credit lines from your financing sources. Credit cards can be obtained through banks and credit unions as well as chain stores. Many offers for "pre-approved" credit cards come in the mail. Getting a credit card issued by department stores is simple. Only two forms of ID are required: a driver's license with a picture ID and a second identification, like another credit card or your Social Security card. They can also get it from your credit and bank statements that come by mail. Your identity can also be stolen by simply getting your credit card number or your signature that appears on it. Criminals can do a number of by making use of your Social Security number. They can also get hold of your personal information by hacking it out on the Internet.