3 strange facts about identity theft

Identity theft is one of the most prevalent crimes in the United States. It can do a number on consumer credit scores and put people at financial risk. Identity theft can impact anyone from business owners to traditional consumers, and there are many things people probably don't know about this type of crime:

1 - Medical ID theft is a growing problem

Gone are the days when people only need to worry about credit card information being stolen. According to U.S. News & World Report, medical data has also been compromised at an increased rate in recent years. This could put the health of people at risk. In fact, it could lead to improper treatment if wrong information appears on a person's medical record after a thief receives treatment using a victim's name and their insurance information.

2 - Many fraud scams involve the lottery
With jackpots of hundreds of millions of dollars, many Americans play the lottery each week. However, many of the identity theft scams in this country involve these games, according to Investing Answers. For this reason, people need to be skeptical when receiving a call telling them they have won a prize or should enter a contest.

3 - Identity theft can stem from video games
Playstation 4 and X Box ONE were recently released, putting the gaming industry into a frenzy. While these video games can provide joy for many, they could also cause identity theft. Online gaming accounts often have monetary value, which has led hackers to target them. Trends in the industry show a growing number of phishing attacks against video games, so people who use these systems need to be careful when using online accounts.