Identity theft is a term used to refer to all types of crimes in which a person wrongly obtains and uses another person's personal data in a way that involves fraud or deception, usually for economic purposes. Unlike your fingerprints, which are unique to you and cannot be transmitted to anyone else for their use, your personal data ¬ including your social security number, your bank account or credit card number, your calling cards and other valuable identification data ¬ can be used, if they fall into the wrong hands, for personal gain at your expense (Weisman). In recent years, the number of reported cases of identity theft has skyrocketed, from 86,000 reported cases in 2001 to more than 10,000,000 in 2005. (Weismann). It is by far the fastest growing crime in the United States. Perhaps even more frightening than the crime itself is the ease with which it can be committed. Many people don't realize how easily criminals can obtain our personal data without having to break into our homes. In public places, for example, criminals may "shoulder surf" ¬ watching you from a nearby location as you enter your phone number or credit card number ¬ or listening to your conversation if you give your credit card number. by telephone to a hotel or car rental company (Delaney). Even the area near your home or office may not be secure. Some criminals engage in "dumpster digging": they rummage through your trash, a dumpster, or a common trash bin to obtain copies of your checks, credit card or bank statements, or other documents that usually have your name, address and even phone number on them. (Borrus). These types of records make it easier for criminals to take control of transactions between law enforcement and the public, identity thieves will be held accountable in this new millennium. , A. (March 31, 2003). To catch identity theft. BusinessWeek, 3826, 91. Corel (June 5, 2000). Identity theft and fraud. Retrieved November 17, 2005, from PCt website, US Department of Justice: http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/idtheft.htmlDelaney, KJ (2005). Identity theft made easier. Wall Street Journal, B.1. Fisher, A. (September 5, 2005). Job offer or identity theft scam?.Fortune, 152, 161.Gattiker, UE (2004). The Information Security Dictionary. Norwell, MA: Kluwer Academic. Levy, S. & Stone, B. (September 5, 2005). Grand Theft Identity. Newsweek, 38. Weisman, S. (2005). 50 Ways to Protect Your Identity and Credit. Upper Saddle River, New Jersey: Prentice Hall.