(stealing someone's identity is a crime punishable in federal prison.)

Allow us to explain to you in detail exactly what identity theft is. Identity theft is the stealing and use of someone’s information to take control of the victim’s credit by ways of using existing credit accounts and opening new ones. The thieves’ access bank accounts, apply for loans, purchase homes, rent apartments, and go on lavish trips to exotic places all at your expense. The effects of identity fraud can be devastating because it frequently involves no physical theft; identity theft may not be noticed by its victims until significant damage has been done…often, several months and hundreds of thousands of dollars later. As a client of The Credit Group Inc. will encourage you to monitor your credit report closely get an early alert to new and suspicious activity on your report, identity theft insurance, and access to your credit report

Steps Thieves Take To Steal Your Identity?

• Redirecting your mail by discretely mailing in postal change-of-address forms
• Going through your trash or mail looking for credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, and tax information. Whenever possible, make sure you shred your personal information.
• Stealing your identification, department store credit cards and bank cards.
• Getting your personnel records at work. This gives them access to social security numbers, date of birth and previous addresses.
• Obtaining your credit report by posing as a landlord or someone else who has a lawful right to the information.
• Acquiring personal information you share on websites that lack internet security.
• Buying personal information about you from an inside source -- for example, a store employee that gets your information from a credit application or by "skimming" your credit card information when you make a purchase.

We Encourage You To Monitor Your Credit Report Closely

Unless you check your credit report frequently, there's often no way to tell if identity thieves have used your personal information to obtain credit accounts or other services in your name.
**Protect yourself from identity theft****, subscribe to our Credit Watch and Monitoring Service Today.

Identity Theft Statistics (This information is based on 2007 reports obtained from Equifax)

According to the Federal Trade Commission, identity theft complaints are broken down as follows:

• About 50% reported that a credit card was opened in their name
• 25% reported that the thief established new telephone, cellular, or another service in their name
• 16% reported that a bank account was opened in their name, or unauthorized withdrawals had been made from their account
• 9% reported that the thief obtained a loan in their name
• 8% reported that the thief obtained a fraudulent document such as a driver's license and social security card