Think you are not susceptible to becoming an identity theft victim. Think again.

Have you….

Filed a tax return.

Purchased a car.

Bought a house.

Enrolled in school.

Participated in a health care plan.

Went to the doctor.

Applied for a job.

Worked.

Signed up for utilities.

Obtained a credit card.

Opened a checking and/or savings account.

If you have done any of those, I hate to break it to you, but you are a sitting duck for becoming a victim of identity theft.

Think of all the people working at any of these entities who have access to your personal information. Pretty much a whole hell of a lot of people.

What are all of these organizations doing to protect that information that they hold? It’s a question that needs to be asked more. But, no matter the protection, there are lots of people that have access to your information, including criminal minds.

Your “personal” information is accessible by so many people. Let’s face it-your personal information is not that private. Allowing most anyone to steal your information, and do whatever suites his or her fancy. From opening credit in your name, filing fraudulent taxes, getting medical treatment, the list goes on.

And who ends up having to clean up the destruction that is created by identity theft?

Not the company where the information was stolen.

Not the criminal.

Not the company that extended credit to a criminal.

It all comes back to you to clean up. The victim.

Until the entities that hold our personal information are held accountable, criminals face consequences for committing this crime, and it takes more than a pulse to open up credit this crime will only continue to wreak havoc for its victims.