Identity theft has always been possible, but the internet and technology have made it something that can often be accomplished far too easily. According to Hoar (2001), identity theft is the "crime of the new millennium." Stealing someone's identity can cause them countless problems, thousands of dollars, and literally years to correct. Problems are not limited to credit reports, either. Some people even file tax returns using the social security numbers of others. They get big refunds from the government, and when the real person files his or her tax return, the federal government rejects it, saying that person already filed (Hoar, 2001; McFadden, 2007). Naturally, that can be a huge issue for anyone who has to find ways to sort that out. Just telling someone they were the victim of identity theft is not enough. A police report should always be filed, and often there are many steps which must be taken in order to prove which person is the "real" person with that name, social security number, and other information (Measuring, 2011). It is not easy to correct identity theft, and it is also not easy to restore...

Some businesses, especially in border states, unknowingly hire illegal aliens who have stolen social security numbers and other information from those who are here legally. These people often do not pay taxes, but they do make money and receive other benefits. The business can get into serious trouble if this is discovered, even if the business had absolutely no knowledge that the person it hired was an identity thief or was using someone else's identifying information illegally. Businesses also try to stop identity theft by asking for identification when customers use a credit card, and taking other precautions to ensure the person's information is correct and actually belongs to them (Hoar, 2001). This takes more manpower and more time, costing the business more. That cost is sometimes absorbed, but it is usually passed along to the customer. In that sense, identity theft costs everyone money because the prices at businesses…