Using the U.S. Department of Justice website Links to an external site., discuss what identity theft is. Come up with ways your identity could be stolen. Look at  the U.S. states by population density Links to an external site. with a geographical map of the country. Now view the statistics of identity theft states Links to an external site..

View the following video.  It provides real news information of fraudulent activities transpiring now.

Prevent Identity Theft Ring www.IDTheftSecurity.com Links to an external site.  

Answer the following questions:

1. Is there a correlation between population density of the U.S. and identity theft statistics?
2. Are identity theft statistics tied to population density?
3. Study and compare the tables and draw conclusions.

Activity 1:  identify the steps Links to an external site. which should be taken when a person’s identity is stolen.

Activity 2: Theft happens all over the world.  Research and identify a world wide potential identity theft scam. Some of these scams are listed on the Federal Trade Commission’s website. Locate on a map, areas where identity theft scams are currently being run.  Example: A student may find a scam where the person is based in Nigeria who calls Florida to receive an elderly woman's bank account information.

After you answer the above questions and have your information for activities 1 and 2, upload your answers using the Submit Assignment link.

This lesson was found at http://financeintheclassroom.org/passport/ninth/social_studies.shtml#identity Links to an external site. on July 24, 2014.