Identity Theft I decided to write my research paper on the issue of identity theft. Identity theft has occurred throughout history in various ways and forms. Today it is one of the fastest growing crimes occurring worldwide. Data suggests that identity theft accounts for approximately $50 billion stolen from citizens and businesses in the United States each year. I believe that more attention should be paid to identity theft because of the harmful effects it can have on an individual victim and on our nation's economy. Topics I will cover include crime statistics, laws that protect crime victims, and what we are doing to prevent future attacks. Identity theft has been around for decades, so it's nothing new. The only difference now is that the public and the government are aware of the problem and are actively pursuing strategies to combat it. However, identity theft isn't always about stealing someone's credit card information or trying to extort large amounts of money. It began primarily as a political tool to stuff ballot boxes or used by teenagers to obtain fake IDs in order to circumvent laws that prohibited minors from participating in certain activities such as drinking alcohol. In more recent years, however, identity theft has become much more sophisticated and advanced. With the help of computers and advanced technology, identity theft, especially through the electronic world, has become increasingly easier for criminals to acquire. (FBI) Most people involved in illegal acts usually use them for financial gain, essentially to enrich themselves. Like all crimes, identity theft is a nonviolent crime that is relatively easy to hide and that attracts more people to...... middle of paper...... personal information. Identity theft is not a new problem in our world. It has been occurring for decades and is becoming increasingly popular among criminals. Due to the expanding technology in our world, identity theft is becoming easier to commit and harder to detect. Fortunately, as the technology of criminals becomes more advanced, the technology of the justice system also becomes more advanced to fight crime. The number of criminals involved in fraud and theft will only increase due to the lucrative nature of the crime, but so will the forces set up to stop them. This white collar crime will gain more attention and thus more laws will be passed to protect the public from becoming victims. With the use of legislation, task forces, and public education and awareness, identity theft will be given greater attention and focus to hopefully discourage future threats from occurring..