What’s in a name? Possibly thousands of dollars. That’s the word from law enforcement agents who say that Americans lose millions to identity theft each year.

The term “identity theft” refers to a crime in which a person steals your Social Security number or other private information. The criminal then uses that information to charge items or services on your credit or simply steal money from your bank account. The thieves often operate online, making it especially important to take precautions when surfing the Web. Read the rest of this entry »