BOISE, Idaho — Identity theft is on the rise in Idaho and across the country.
The Boise Police Department tells KTVB they've seen an alarming increase in the amount of identity theft reports.
In fact, a 200 percent increase in identity theft reports from 2019 to 2020.
BPD investigated 100 cases of identity theft in 2019.
In 2020, it went all the way up to 300 reports.
And just this month, police say they've already had 33 new cases.
Boise Police Deputy Chief Ron Winegar says criminals are taking advantage people working at home during the pandemic.
"There are many unemployment scams or claims going on right now, and so often times people find out that they've had an unemployment claim filed under their name when the Department of Labor contacts them and they don't know anything about it," Winegar said.
Winegar says be careful about who you share your information with, especially your Social Security number and your birthday.
He also recommends checking your credit frequently as a preventative measure. Freezing your credit is also an option as an extra security measure.
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