The Story. Anatomy of Credit Card Numbers. The Ultimate Guide to Identity Theft Prevention. In the last year alone, nearly 10 million Americans became victims of identity theft, a crime that cost them approximately $5 billion total.
It is the fastest growing crime in the United States, and if you're not careful, it could happen to you, or perhaps it already has. On average, it takes identity theft victims 12 months [PDF] to realize that they have been victimized. Personal Information.