Check your credit report. It won't stop this crime from happening to you, but it will minimize the damage.

In five years, federal officials say people will be more likely to be a victim of this crime than not.

With so many uses made of credit report these days, it's vitally important that consumers regularly check them.

They can't say you'll go to jail. Though Charles Dickens loved them, America does not have debtors' prisons.

They can't say you'll go to jail. Though Charles Dickens loved them, America does not have debtor's prisons.

We have lower incomes in the state, which is one reason. And it's a lot harder to pretend to be someone from Belt than it is to be someone from a bigger urban area like New York City.