This can be a major problem for anyone because not only will you have to worry about your personal properties like credit cards and bank accounts, you also have to think about the fact that someone else is using your name and your reputation to do god-knows what. According to the FTC, there are more than 160,000 reported cases of identity fraud in the country in 2002. If a culprit gets into hands-on control of one s number, it could be a start of a cycle of indefinite crimes against the legitimate owner, would lead the poor victim and his family into rubbles of chaos that can t easily be repaired. A ruined reputation because of unprecedented debts thru malicious intent of someone would ruin anyone s credibility, and totally, his life. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), phishers send an email or pop-up message that claims to be from a business or organization that you deal with --- for example, your Internet Service Provider (ISP), bank, online payment service, or even a government agency. The message usually says that you need to "update" or "validate" your account information. Ask businesses how they store and dispose of credit card transaction skips. Ensure that proper safeguards are in place to treat these documents securely. Never giver credit card numbers or other personal information over the phone unless you initiate the call. Even if you initiate the call, ensure that called party is not using a cellular or other mobile phone. The mightiest business tycoon down to the lowest ranking employee in a corporation, company, or any enterprise owns a kind of identity number attached to his being member to any social security group, or kind of financial management for use in billings, daily expenditures, and savings. It maybe, identification number on social security, insurance, banks, or anything that could be a means to access individual cash settings, or safekeeping. If you hand out your credit card in restaurants and other establishments, you are at risk of identity theft. Signing your credit cards may also be a way for criminals to make use of your signature for fraud. Identity theft can also occur if you have the habit of giving your personal information over the internet.