The crime of technology: Identity theft

Technological advances have made the world a much smaller, more connected place. In a matter of seconds, one may easily access information about any topic, located on any server in the world. Gone are the days of painstaking searches for information, as well as the days of standing in lengthy lines to see a bank teller or buy a Christmas present. With technological marvels, people may quickly and easily use the internet to conduct business transactions and make purchases. This has naturally led to fraudulent credit card activity and the rise of identity theft, a topic that has become a major concern for all areas of information technology. The Internet has provided us with many opportunities to improve our daily lives, but it has also provided criminals with many opportunities to use our identities against us. Identity thieves hide behind the safety of their computers while stealing thousands of innocent victim's money, putting them into debt. Identity theft is the nation's fastest growing crime and will continue to be a problem if consumers do not make themselves aware of this heinous crime and learn ways to protect themselves against it.