Do you know that even while you are sleeping, an expensive purchase can be made in your account?  There is also the possibility that when you apply for a Philippine passport for the first time, you will be shocked to learn that someone else have been using your name and documents. And on the World Wide Web, you may be unaware that the picture you posted in the profile page of a social networking site is being used in a dating or mail order bride sites. All these are possible because there is such a thing as identity theft.

The threat of identity theft is something to be a cause of alarm because this practice is widespread worldwide. The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) in America said that identity theft is considered as "America's fastest growing crime problem".

Identity theft happened when an individual rob someone’s identity by using his or her name, address, bank account, picture, etc. to conduct unlawful activities.

The consequence of being a victim of an identity theft is serious because it is your name and reputation at stake. You may find yourself in deep debt, be blacklisted in a foreign country or simply be involved in a scandal or scam you are totally unaware of.

To protect yourself from this scam, you must first be aware of the various methods that thieves used to steal someone’s identity. It can be as simple as looking at your personal belongings such as wallet where one usually stores ATM cards, credit cards and identification cards. You are at risk to be a victim when you lose your wallet.

Some thieves can get the pin numbers of your ATM card by carefully watching you while you withdraw from an ATM machine. So always remember to take care of your pin number or credit cards numbers. Do not print or write it down anywhere. The same goes for all your legal documents such as birth certificate, marriage certificate, etc.

Your personal information can also be taken through credit card bills or bank statements that you throw away in a trash bin. Thieves can get it and use the information there. To avoid this, it is suggested that one tear these bank statements to pieces or use a shredder before throwing it in the garbage.

You must also be careful when dealing with persons who claim to be a bank or credit card officer and then ask for your credit card information via phone. The tip is that you should not give your credit card number or pin numbers to anyone especially when you are not sure that who you are talking to is really a representative of the bank.

There is also a method called skimming where an electronic device is used to steal information stored in a credit card or ATM card. This is usually done when one makes a purchase and the swindlers run the card in a skimmer to get access to personal information. To avoid this, it is recommended that you keep your eyes on your card when you hand it to the cashier when paying. Be suspicious when it takes a longer time that usual before the card is handed back to you.

In the internet, swindlers used what they call phishing where a website pretends to be a site of a legitimate agency and then request or require personal information from visitors. Om the net, it is also wise to be careful when giving out personal information and always use virus protection. Do not give away details that you know are not necessary. Protect your computer with a password and it may also help if you change it from time to time.