The FTC estimates that nearly 9 million Americans are victims of identity theft each year. Victims of identity theft can miss out on numerous opportunities in their lives due to having their identity stolen. Many victims can not find jobs or apply for credit cards and loans since their credit report is mostly negative after an identity theft. Identity theft is basically a term used to describe the illegal use of another person’s identity. This can vary from one extreme to another but ultimately identity theft is the practice of using an identity other than your own, without permission, to commit fraud or crimes. Identity theft can take many forms, including: Financial ID Theft, Identity Cloning, and Business/Commercial ID Theft.
Financial ID Theft is when someone uses another person’s identity to purchase goods and/or services. The identity thief can use the victim’s identity to obtain credit cards and other types of loans, or set up telephone and electricity services for their home. The next form of ID theft is Criminal Identity Theft, which is when a person is arrested and uses a stolen identity to pose as someone else so that they are “innocent.” This allows the person to evade capture and presume a new identity, at least for the time being. Another form of ID theft, termed Identity Cloning is done by stealing someone’s identity and using it as your own on a regular, day-to-day basis. This can be done with Government Documents Fraud which will allow the thief to get a Social Security Card or even a Driver’s License with the victim’s information but the thief’s photograph, and many times coincides with Criminal ID Theft. A person may also use a business’ name to obtain credit on their behalf, which is the case with Business/Commercial Identity Theft. These types of identity stealing are just some of the major forms a theft can take. Many other crimes including illegal immigration, terrorism, espionage, and blackmail stem from identity theft.
To obtain the information needed, an identity thief can employ the use of various techniques. An identity thief may research an individual via the internet, government records, or gain information by stealing a person’s identification card, or credit/debit cards. With the increasing popularity of social networking sites and job search engines, it is easy for an identity thief to find all the information they need from a personal MySpace page or from a jobseekers resume. Another common practice, called dumpster diving, involves the thief stealing mail or other pieces of information about a person by sifting through their trash, or taking information from discarded equipment that has not been properly deleted, such as a personal computer. An identity thief may also “shoulder surf,” which involves listening or peeking in on public transactions, such as ATM withdrawals, to gain personal information.
As opposed to the previous methods, cyber criminals evolve just as fast as modern technology allows them to. The increased use of technology has allowed an identity thief to steal your information without ever seeing your face. A common practice, called phishing, allows the cyber criminal to impersonate a trusted source or business via electronic communications. Fake e-mails are sent out from legitimate looking sources attempting to lure you into giving up personal information. Hackers and crackers can also gain access to computer databases by using viruses and other such programs to steal information off the servers. While this is a very technical, hands-on approach, a skilled cyber criminal can infiltrate a system and steal personal information. Lastly, a thief can use skimming devices, which record credit and debit card information during transactions, to access your credit and bank accounts.
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