According to various studies – including the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) regular fraud complaint study and a report from J.D. Power & Associates – the 18- to 29-year-old age bracket commonly referred to in popular culture as “Generation Y” accounts for almost one-third (30%) of all identity theft complaints.

Nearly 10 million Americans suffered from identity theft in 2008, accounting for $48 billion in losses, reports Javelin Strategy & Research. However, while older Internet users like Generation X and Baby Boomers have a high level of concern about identity theft, the young adults who comprise Generation Y appear to be particularly vulnerable to fraud due mostly to a laid-back approach to the issue.

Varied levels of technological prowess could be the reason behind the difference in levels of concern regarding identity theft, experts say, since the young adults of Generation Y tend to be more technically-savvy than older consumers, which gives Generation Y consumers several benefits in protecting against identity theft such as having better protected computers and recognizing – and avoiding – online scams more than older generations.

Still, the young adults of Generation Y are seen as prime identity theft targets, since they also have a greater online presence that leaves them open to more opportunities for identity theft. In particular, social networks like FaceBook can be hot spots for identity theft because many Generation Y Internet users choose to sacrifice security for self-expression despite knowing the dangers.

Consumers of all ages – and not just the young adults of Generation Y – would be wise to protect and manage their own personal information. One method of accomplishing this task is with a “Personal Background Check” that can help individuals empower and protect themselves while giving them control over their own personal information.

With MyBackgroundCheck.com – a member of the Pre-employ.com Family of Companies and one of the first personal background check services for individuals – consumers of all ages can view and manage personal information, check credit scores, and prevent criminal identity theft... all from their very own MyBackgroundCheck.com account.

For more information about MyBackgroundCheck.com’s personal background check services, please visit www.MyBackgroundCheck.com, email info@mybackgroundcheck.com, or call 1-800-503-2364.

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