How easy is it to steal someone’s identity?

Slashdot, a popular technology news blog, is running this discussion on what can really be done without a social security number. Most of the posted comments trend towards the juvenile however there are enough insightful posts to make it worth perusing. Many of the ideas and views presented help to illustrate the problem we have in protecting ourselves from Identity Theft. Unfortunately in discussing this topic the information is usually as beneficial to criminals as it is to people attempting to protect themselves, however, the criminal mind will undoubtedly figure this out regardless. An interesting comment was about the ease with which Identity information (social security number, mother’s maiden name, DOB, POB, etc) was elicited from University students with the simple offer of some trinkets! What better person’s identity to steal then a budding college student!

This line of thinking brings me full circle back to the Martial Arts and Self-Defense, you are never to young to begin awareness training. Parents take note, the earlier your child begins awareness training the less likely they will fall for a similar scam or find themselves in a hostile situation. How does this relate to Identity Theft, awareness is the first line of defense in any type of protective maneuvers. Awareness of your surroundings and those round you will often serve to thwart most attacks, including a social attack to gain your identity! So the next time someone offers you a free t-shirt to give up your identity, think about it first! And for all you adults reading this, it is never to late to start your own awareness training!

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