How big a problem is identity theft, nationally?
Identity theft is affecting as many as 10 million people per year, to the tune of more than $50 billion. The Internet has fuelled identity theft because it has made information so readily available. In addition to that, the speed of these technologies that we enjoy, has far outpaced the security necessary to keep all of our information safe and secure. Additionally, the way in which we are identified is fundamentally flawed. We were never meant to be identified via search Social Security cards or Social Security numbers. In addition to that, birth certificates are just paper documents that easily can be counterfeited. Our driver's license are documents that, anybody with a desktop PC and scanner and a printer, can simply create a fake form of ID. The speed of technology for example, in a small printer that you use for your digital camera. That one technology alone has essentially antiquated all forms of identification. When you think about it, years and years ago, you had to go to a photo mat or the local drug store to get your photos developed. Now you can simply do it from the convenience of your own home, and with the same technology, can create any documents of any kind.
