"Consumers targeted by identity thieves usually do not know that they have been victims until the hijackers fail to pay the bills or repay the loans, and collection agencies begin dunning the consumers for payment of accounts they didn't even know they had."

—The Federal Trade Commission

The Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve has described identity theft as "one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States."

What to do if it happens to you:

If you have been a victim of identity theft, click here for more information.