Identity theft has always been a problem. Long before the internet, thieves were stealing people’s identities. There were very few security measures in place to keep the crime from happening. People used to put their social security numbers and phone numbers on their checks. It was required so that retailers could make sure the check writer wasn’t on the hot check list. Therefore, personal information was very easy to access. It seems like a rhetorical question to ask whether the internet increases identity theft, but let’s consider the issue anyway.
There are a several ways the internet helps thieves commit identity fraud, so one answer would be that the internet does not increase identity theft. It just makes it easier to do. In that scenario, someone steals another person’s personal information from a physical object like mail, a credit card or check. They then go to the internet to use that information to get more information. Depending on how good the victim set up his passwords, he may or may not become a victim of identity fraud. Internet based businesses know that illegal activity will take advantage of the forum, so most websites do everything they can to assist customers in protecting their personal information.
When it comes to social networking, the answer is definitely, “yes,” the internet increases identity theft. Hackers are always busily trying to get into personal pages to get information and learn more about people. Some of the scams are well done, and some are stupid. One of the more common identity fraud schemes involves someone assuming the victim’s identity and then messaging a friend to ask for money due to an overseas emergency. Depending on how much personal information and activity they glean from the victim’s page, the more believable the thief can be. If you get this kind of message, call your friend immediately to warn him.