Identity theft still going strong in the U.S.

The FBI calls it "the fastest growing white-collar crime in America."

Identity theft continues to be a major problem in the United States. The FTC recently released a list of the top consumer complaints in 2007, and identity theft is number one for the eighth consecutive year thanks to 258,427 complaints filed last year. Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information, such as Social Security number or credit card, without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes, according to the FTC Identity Theft website.

Fraudsters will use stolen information to obtain a credit card, rent an apartment, purchase goods online, and even withdraw money from a bank account, and sadly, you won't find out about the crime until it's too late. The worst part is that identity theft victims are left to clean up the mess alone, which can sometimes take months, even years depending on the damage. (More on tech.yahoo.com)

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2007 List of Top Consumer Fraud Complaints

Source: ftc.gov