The Farm Credit Corner

Identity theft is defined as all crimes against individuals where personal and financial data is illegally obtained by fraud or deception, usually for financial gain.

Once identity thieves steal your data, some things they can do include:

• Apply for credit cards or loans in your name

• Withdraw funds from your bank account

• Use your social security number to steal your tax refund

There are many tools at your disposal for recognizing there is a problem. Read credit card and bank statements, make sure to recognize every change, no matter how small.

Credit reports are also great tool to spot su...