Identity theft is a growing menace across the nation and especially in South Florida.
Here, according to Detective Ed Madge, head of the identity fraud division at the Broward County Sheriff's office, the number of reported cases is up 3,000 percent in the past year. Madge, a nationally recognized expert in identity theft, advises businesses and people to be on alert. There are increasing numbers of people trying to obtain information to steal identities for criminal pursuits. With stolen identities, they get high-end credit cards and make installment purchases. Then, it's only a matter of time until unpaid bills start piling up and people's credit ratings are destroyed, he said.