Armed with information like a social security number, bank account number or your mothers maiden name, and identity thief is off and running and a stolen identity is in the making. In only a short amount of time a whole new “you” can be created out of thin air, complete with credit cards, mortgages and expensive purchase. Only this “you” fails to pay your bills and is on the road to financial ruin.

When you connect to the Internet, you’re entering a world where almost anything is possible. You can buy your groceries online, pay your bills, shop for just about anything and more. But you’re also entering a world where hackers, identity thieves and other online criminals are lurking about. And they’re not always easy to spot. The only thing that separates you from them, is your web browser.

According to the FTC, 1 in 8 Americans in the last 5 years has been affected by Internet identity theft. Internet identity theft is different from common identity theft in a few ways. Common identity theft takes place after something is physically stolen from you like a wallet containing credit cards and a driver’s license or an un-shredded credit card statement from your garbage bin. The thief would take these stolen articles and use them to make a fraudulent purchase or something of that nature. Internet identity theft can be much worse.

Everyday, hackers are coming up with new and better ways to try to trick you out of not only your money but your identity as well. Identity theft is one of those terrible things that people think will never happen to them.

It seems like everyday there is a story in the news about a new online scam that caused people to lose tons of money. It’s true that the Internet has become a dangerous place. The hackers of today aren’t just bored teenagers anymore. Today’s online criminals are highly skilled computer experts who know how to manipulate your PC in order to get the information they need to cause you a lot of trouble.