US Attorney General Warns about the Identity Theft this Holiday Season

The Federal Trade Commission states that more than 650,000 citizens’ identities have been compromised due to identity theft since 2019. This has been an increase of 200,000 from 2018. The State of Florida is reported to have been listed as the 3rd highest State with the most cases of identity theft. Helping the citizens guard their personal information is of the essence for the government.

Moody is especially concerned about this holiday season amid the COVID-19 pandemic, “Identity theft continues to be a growing problem across the country and Floridians need to be aware of steps they can take to protect their personal information. Our office’s latest Scams at a Glance addition highlights these steps and is a great resource on preventing consumers from falling into potential traps that identity thieves use to steal personal and financial information. Following these simple steps can help prevent identity theft that can wreak havoc on individuals and families.”

According to federal law, identity theft is defined as when someone uses the personal information of an individual to commit criminal activity. These frauds can not only cause problems to consumers but also gravely affect retailers at this busy time of the year. Even before this, the FBI warned the US citizens to be cautious as scammers and fraudsters are prepared to take advantage of this festive season. 

While rushing to finish that last minute Christmas shopping, don’t forget that online criminals are actively trying to steal your identity. pic.twitter.com/kaHPvpToVH

— AG Ashley Moody (@AGAshleyMoody) December 22, 2020

Click here to learn about the types of holiday scams.