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Congressman Mike Quigley

Representing the 5th District of Illinois

Identity Theft

Identity theft has become an epidemic in Illinois and across the United States, claiming over 10 million victims last year alone. It's also one of the most costly crimes to consumers and businesses, and is the fastest growing white collar crime in America according to the FTC.

And as folks prepare for holiday shopping, now is the perfect time to consider how to safeguard your personal financial data. Unfortunately, consumers face threats using credit cards in stores or shopping online. Make sure you're keeping your identity and credit card information secure this holiday season with some of the simple tips provided here.

Securing IDs is essential to not only protecting consumers from financial loss and shoring up the world's finest financial system, but also to securing our homeland from criminals, drug dealers, and terrorists. The protection of personal identification and financial records is an important part in preventing such plagues as meth addiction, white collar fraud, and terrorism.

Constituents should be vigilant to protect themselves and our community from the dangers caused by identity thieves. If you become a victim of ID theft, please contact my office for personal assistance or visit the Federal Trade Commission identity theft Web Site for advice on how to secure your personal data as well as what to do if your identity is stolen.

OnGuardOnline.gov provides practical tips from the federal government and the technology industry to help you be on guard against Internet fraud, secure your computer, and protect your personal information. You can also take their tests to learn how to avoid becoming a victim of phishing, spam, spyware and other online scams.

National Cyber Security Alliance is another great source in finding simple, easy steps to help protect your information and data online. 

Learn more about consumer protection here.