Is Arizona The Identity Theft Capital of the World?
Why Is Arizona So Plagued By Identity Theft?
We say that identity theft is a crime that can hit anyone. That no one is safe, regardless of where you life. And that's true -- to a point. While you may be at risk of identity theft no matter what area of the world you reside in, it seems that Arizona residents are more at risk than most.
The Numbers Are Scary
According to a recent report, Arizona may very well be the identity theft capital of the world. In 2007 alone, almost 300,000 residents of the state fell victim to the crime. That number is more than the entire population (including men, women and children) of Scottsdale, to put it into perspective. And that was just one year. Overall, about 25 percent of the residents of the state have fallen victim to the crime.
As if the numbers weren't bad enough, the fact that children of Arizona were victimized at a rate of more than four times the national average only makes the picture worse. When you consider that more than one million children living in Arizona have had their identities stolen, an ugly picture begins to develop.
What's Going On?
We could speculate till we're blue in the face about why Arizona is such a hot spot for identity theft. When you consider the fact that more than one-third of identity theft cases in Arizona are due to illegal immigrants using other people's information so they can work here, it's hard to say that illegal immigration is not a big part of the problem.
What to Do
If you live in Arizona, please read through all of our articles on preventing identity theft. Make sure you sign up with a credit monitoring service and PLEASE contact the Social Security Department for a Personal Earnings Report each and every year. That will tip you off as to whether someone has been using your identity for work-related purposes.
While being vigilant may not prevent your identity from being stolen, it will put a stop to it the moment it happens and will nip the problem in the bud.