As anyone who has been paying attention lately no doubt knows, identity theft is on the rise, and more people than ever before are finding themselves at risk. With the recent disclosure of missing consumer data by a number of banks, credit card companies and other financial institutions, now is the perfect time to look at steps you can take to avoid the hassle and expense of identity theft.

What is identity theft?

Many people are confused at just what constitutes identity theft. Identity theft involves much more than someone just using your credit card to buy all those things they