One of the ways that a consumer can be the victim of identity theft is through hackers stealing their account information.
Albert Gonzalez, 28, was recently sentenced to 20 years in prison for his role in the theft of millions of poor credit history and debit card numbers. Prosecutors in the case had looked to get Gonzalez a 25-year prison term while his lawyer argued for a 15-year stint.
Gonzalez and others targeted companies such as TJX and Office Max. In order to get the card numbers, the hackers used programs installed on computer servers that would steal the information with the intent of selling it.
The Miami man has already received a sentence in another case, while a court is expected to hand down a third prison term that could be for as long as 25 years.
Though hackers like Gonzalez try to steal card numbers, there are ways that consumers can protect themselves from identity theft. Along with having secure passwords, people should only deal with reputable retailers when making purchases online.
If they feel as though they have been the victim of identity theft, people should contact their financial institutions and law enforcement authorities as soon as possible.
