Remember the Mission Impossible TV show and movies, when the IMF guy would peel away the rubber mask that he was wearing to look like someone else?

A cool effect, sure, but in reality a thief doesn’t have to look anything like you to steal your identity.

No rubber masks are necessary - just the right identifying information.

That’s why you need to keep yourself safe from identity theft. Sure, your local bank teller may know what you really look like but if the thief walks into a bank across the country with all the proper credentials to be you, they won’t know the difference.

And over the phone or internet, nobody knows what you look like.

These guys aren’t necessarily in it for the long haul. They steal your identity, use it for all they can and then move on to the next victim. Don’t let yourself get overconfident about your safety.

After all, that old saying is true - it’s better to be safe than sorry.