Identity theft is a major crime.  Identity theft is when someone steals your identity and uses your name, credit cards, social security number and other pieces of your identity to buy things for their own use.  This can be anything from pizza to cars to houses.  What happens in the process is they wreck your credit and can cause a lot of harm to your quality of life.  Bouncing back from identity theft can be really difficult because sometimes the thief has drained your bank account!

But you may wonder how to avoid identity theft online? The best way to fight identity theft is to start before it even happens. Identity theft is rampant online due to the online shopping boom. 

Hackers have set up many ways that they can obtain your information while you are shopping online. Some of these ways include coding and phishing websites. In order to avoid these types of websites, it is important that you shop at sites that are well known and that offer security certificates so that you know your information is only being used for the intended purposes.

Another thing that you can do to protect yourself is to use different passwords at each site and make sure that you change your password often. It is also important to use a combination of numbers, letters and symbols and to never use a password that someone may guess easily.

It is important to protect your computer from hackers and viruses. Many hackers will create trojan horse viruses that can obtain all of the information that you have ever typed on your computer. Make sure that you are using a good anti-virus and anti-malware program so that you can protect your computer from getting infected with these viruses. Also, make sure that your computer updates automatically on a normal basis.

Additionally, you may also protect against identity theft by keeping your information safe and not sharing it with anyone. It is also important to never save passwords in a file on your computer or within a website for easier use. Never email your information such as social security number or credit card numbers. Never give your checking account information as a way of payment. This will give hackers an easy way to drain all of the money from your account.

If you have been caught and are in legal trouble for hacking into someone else’s information or for stealing their identity to purchase things, you may need to take theft education classes as part of your punishment.  Online theft classes are an excellent way to fulfill a court mandate.  Just check first with your court system to make sure they will accept online courses.  If so, they are beneficial because you can take them in the comfort of your own home as long as you have internet service.  They are low-cost and are full of current information.

Protecting yourself from identity theft online is not that hard. You will need to vigilant in your online shopping practices and make sure that you are paying attention at all times. Make sure that all websites that you use for transmitting personal information are encrypted and secure. They will provide certificates during check out so you know that they are a secure website. Also, make sure that you review your credit reports on a normal basis and make sure that you recognize all transactions. Taking these steps to protect your identity can save you a lot of time, money and tons of hassle. If you have your identity stolen, it can take many years and several thousands of dollars to recover from the damage that can be caused. 

If you agreed to pay for a service but failed to do it on completion of the service, it is termed as a theft of service. If you use threat or deception to obtain services, it may also be classified as theft of services. Using a person's Wi-Fi connection, without his/her permission, is the most common form of theft of service.

Typically, theft of services is prosecuted as larceny. It may also be prosecuted as a felony or a misdemeanor. It depends on the value of services that you obtain illegally. Theft of services encompasses a variety of criminal activity such as:

·      Tampering with or even bypassing the utility meter with a view to understate the consumption.

·      Leaving a restaurant or hotel, a doctor's office or any such establishment without making payment for the services received.

·      Evading fee or fare payment after using a public transit vehicle or entering a private facility that requires you to pay a fee before entering, etc. An example would be jumping over the fence at a rock concert or a fair.

·      Fleeing from a taxi in order to avoid fee payment.

·      Retaining a rented property beyond the due date and continuing to use the same without making payments.

This is not an exhaustive list of theft of services and it should not be confused with payment rejections which are reasonable. It is O.K. to not pay for services that are not as advertised and that do not meet reasonable quality standards. For instance, if the new roof installed by a roofer leaks, you hold back payment till the leak is fixed. However, if you withhold payment without a proper reason, it would be considered as larceny. 

Theft of services is defined differently by each state. However, in most states it is a misdemeanor and the value of the services stolen determines the level of crime. Even if it is considered as a misdemeanor, the consequences of a conviction can be significant as it may sometimes be interpreted as "crime of moral turpitude".  In addition to a jail term or fine, and you may lose your eligibility for certain housing opportunities and jobs.

If you as an individual have this habit, theft classes online may be the best option for you to get rehabilitated in order to stop any such behavior before you are caught.  Theft classes online provide theft awareness classes to individuals who may want to take a program related to theft, stealing, petty theft, shoplifting or larceny. The classes are designed to meet court-ordered, legal, professional or school requirements.

Once you register for the course, you will get access to the member's page and take classes any time of the day from any web browser. You do not need any type of sophisticated computer skills.  The classes are self-paced, meaning you can sign in or out any time to complete your course. On completion of the course, you will be provided with a Certificate of Completion at no extra charge. 

By description, theft is any form of unlawful acquisition of someone else's belongings without his (or her) permission.

What are the top 4 types of theft?
There are four different types of theft namely: Robbery, shoplifting, identity theft and auto theft. Once an individual is convicted of any of these types of theft, he is bound to face a harsh punishment. Let us briefly look at each category of theft and the forms of punishment that one is likely to get for committing them.

Robbery
Robbery refers to an act whereby an individual maliciously acquires another person's property either by use of threats or force. A legal interpretation of this definition shows that; there must be use of direct force or threats. For instance, if a thief points a dangerous object at the victim during the act of theft, then it automatically becomes a case of robbery. Robbery is further sub-categorized into different degrees depending on the magnitude of threats and weapon used. A person found guilty of robbery is subjected to different types of punishments with the maximum sentence being life imprisonment.

Shoplifting
The second type of theft is shoplifting. It can be described as a form of crime whereby a person takes goods away without the intention of paying the vendor. Though previously this type of theft never received much public attention, nowadays (especially with the financial downturn) many business owners will not tolerate any cases of shoplifting. In general, shoplifting can be subdivided into three subcategories namely: misdemeanor petty theft, grand theft and infractions. Each of these represents different degrees of shoplifting depending on the amount involved. If one is found guilty of shoplifting, he is bound to pay a fine, be put on probation and often mandated to take a course to help stop this disorder.

Identity Theft
This type of theft involves falsely acquiring someone else's identity and pretending that it is yours. We have different types of identity theft namely: financial identity theft, criminal identity theft, identity cloning, fabrication and medical identity theft among others. Some of the most common criminal activities that are categorized under identity theft include: drug smuggling, money laundering, cyber crimes and smuggling. This type of crime involves malicious acquisition of someone else's private information e.g through credit cards, hacking of online accounts, misuse of the social security number and impersonation. A person found guilty of identity theft can serve up to 5 years in jail.

Auto theft
Auto theft or motor vehicle theft refers to the act of obtaining (or attempting to obtain) someone else's car. There are different types of auto theft. The most common ones include:
*Theft of a lone car either by breaking into it and tampering with the normal starting of the vehicle (i.e. through hotwiring or towing).
*Theft with car keys.
*Opportunistic car theft (this occurs when the owner forgets to remove the car keys).
*Carjacking
*Fraudulent Theft.
A person found guilty of car theft can be imprisoned for up to 4 years and/or pay a fine of up to $10,000 depending on the degree of the offense.

As we have seen throughout this article, cases of theft are becoming more and more widespread. If a person has gotten into this form of habit, it is advisable to seek help from online theft classes before it is too late. Remember that a stitch in time saves nine.

Embezzlement is a term that comes up more and more in the news each day.  It is a verb, defined in the dictionary as, "to appropriate fraudulently to one's own use, as money or property entrusted to one's care". For some reason, people think that they can get close to others with money and then steal it from them without getting caught.  Simply put, this means that people who work for someone or a company, steal either money or property from that entity. 

Some recent cases of embezzlement include Mark Roy Anderson from California embezzling money in July 2011 from investors planning to invest money in the oil industries. Instead of using their money for the investments, Anderson used the money for his own personal expenses. In total, he embezzled up to $9.5 million from these investors.

Karen Peterson embezzled money from her deceased father-in-law. Her father-in-law passed away in 1989 and she had told the government that he was still living. Since he was a government employee when he was alive, he was receiving Civil Service Retirement benefits from the government. Peterson had falsely reported to the government that he was still alive, so from 1989 up until September 2010 when she was finally caught, Peterson had embezzled close to $600,000 in government money. She was also found guilty of owing $13,000 in unpaid income taxes.

There are generally at least one of three things that are in place before a person decides to embezzle.  They are need, opportunity and rationalization.  The people who embezzle from you are generally people you trust.  They may be employees that are not making as much money in your company as they would like but are able to access information freely.  They think they know you well enough to believe you are not paying attention and see an opportunity to steal funds without you noticing.  They think there is a low probability you will ever appraise the situation and therefore don’t think they will get caught.

As online college courses are on the rise, so are other means of online education, including online theft classes. In the hopes of breaking the cycle, court judges nationwide often approve them instead of sentencing someone to jail. However, for those described above who have been involved in serious white collar embezzlement cases, jail-time is the course of action.  At the very least, the thief will have probation, fines, bad publicity and lawyer fees to deal with. 

If you are lucky enough to realize you have an issue and would like immediate help and support to stop and redirect this behavior, online classes are the path to take.  There is a licensed practicing therapist available by phone Monday – Friday who can enhance the online program with personal discussion.  Learn to stop this behavior before you are in too deep!

Teenage shoplifting is often seen as a common adolescent rite of passage. Approximately 24% of shoplifters are teenagers. While the reasons can vary, usually teens still on an impulse or for a thrill. Peer pressure is also a common reason. In one recent case written by Family Circle, a girl named Terry who was 17 moved to a new town, and desperate to fit in, skipped choir practice to go to the mall with her new friends. The girls were shopping and after seeing Terry try on a belt, suggested that she steal it. Against her better judgement, Terry put the belt in her purse and walked towards the exit. A security guard in the store apprehended her and arrested her. Terry's parents were shocked at their daughter's behavior, and although the store decided not press charges, the incident had a profound effect on Terry and her parents for years. Terry's story is just one of many. Although her shoplifting experience ended with the belt, many other teenagers continue even after being caught.

In these cases, parents always want to understand why their child has stolen something. In almost all cases, the theft is not need-based, and the teens have difficulty explaining their behavior. Many of these teenagers are troubled, looking for attention, fitting in with their peers, or lashing out at authority. In all of these instances, stopping this self-destructive behavior is the main priority.

While Terry was let off with a warning, many judges are cracking down on juvenile offenders and imposing harsher penalties. While it is rare for teens to be put into the system, a judge will often require community service and usually a theft and shoplifting class. These classes are aimed at helping teenagers to understand why they were shoplifting and also prevent shoplifting in the future.

While shoplifting prevention classes may be court-mandated, parents who are worried about their teenagers should also consider enrolling their children in these classes. While not every area has shoplifting and theft prevention classes, especially rural areas, online classes are available as well. These classes are inexpensive and offer the same benefits as an in-person class. Teens can access the class information 24/7 and also complete it in their own time frame. At the end of the class, teens will receive a completion certificate which is usually required by a judge.

Parents who are worried about their teenager's destructive behavior should seriously consider enrolling their teen in these classes. They are private and can be completed at home without embarrassing the child. As most parents know, life-long habits are formed during teenage years and are cemented for life. Stopping destructive habits is crucial during the teen years, making it incredibly important for parents to recognize and deal with these behaviors. The online classes are not just meant for teenagers who have been caught shoplifting, but also for ones who are at a risk. If concerned about a child and shoplifting, consider enrolling them in these online classes. They are easy and inexpensive and can help stop or prevent destructive habits.