It's getting "ruff" out there! Identity theft has been called one of the fastest growing crimes in America and according to the Federal Bureau of Investigation, it is almost always committed to facilitate other crimes, such as credit card fraud, check fraud, etc. Identity theft occurs when someone obtains and uses your personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain – at your expense. Social security numbers, dates of birth, bank account and credit card numbers are extremely valuable to an identity thief. The following information has been provided to help you take steps to protect your identity.