It's possible that somebody you don't know knows plenty about you. It's a crime, and it's called identity theft, a rapidly growing nationwide problem. In California, it is the fastest-growing crime. Identity theft is so prevalent and it is increasing at such an alarming rate that local, state and federal officials recently gathered in Sacramento to share ideas on developing a comprehensive strategy to combat it.
Criminals acquire other people's identities in a variety of ways.
Of course, simply stealing a purse or wallet is perhaps the most direct route to pilfering someone's identity. The California Department of Motor Vehicles issues about 900,000 duplicate driver's licenses each year. Of that number, law enforcement officials estimate 100,000 are used for illicit purposes. Factor in the Internet and the ease with which criminals can gain access through various computer hacking schemes and the reason for the explosion in identity theft becomes clear. Three years ago, the De La Torres put their Marshall Road home up for sale.