Identity theft leads to credit card fraud.
It involves someone using your identification to obtain money or credit in your name without your authorization. It is the fastest growing crime in America. With just a few pieces of valid identification, anyone can commit credit card fraud and apply for and receive credit cards or debit cards in your name. Even before you report the crime, hundreds of dollars in charges can be made by a quick acting thief. The Social Security Administration reported that abuses of Social Security numbers nearly tripled from 1998 to 1999.