IDENTITY THEFT

Identity Theft

Identity Theft

Identity Theft

Criminals have developed from picking pockets to using more complicated methods of theft. Today, thieves can steal personal information and make use of other person's identity to commit many forms of fraud. Identity theft, the criminal act of assuming another person's name, address, social security number, and date of birth in order to entrust fraud, affects approximately 350,000 to 500,000 victims yearly.

“Fraud is deliberately deceiving a person or business in order to gain property or some legal right. Identity theft differs from other forms of less calculated deception”. (Bruce Schneier, Wiley, John & Sons, 2000)

For instance, a juvenile using someone else's driver's license to buy alcohol does not comprise identity theft. Although deliberate dishonesty exists, using someone else's license to make a buy does not outcome in a loss to the victim company.

“Identity theft or identity fraud is the captivating of the victim's identity to attain credit, credit cards from banks and retailers, steal money from the victim's existing accounts, apply for loans, set up accounts with utility companies, rent an apartment, file insolvency or attain a job using the victim's name”. (Teri Bidwell, Michael Cross, Ryan Russell, Teri Bidwell, Michael Cross, 2002)

The impressionist steals thousands of dollars in the victim's name devoid of the victim even knowing about it for months or even years. In recent times criminals have been using the victim's identity to commit crimes ranging form traffic infractions to crimes.

The fraud takes identity. Through social security number, birth date and other identifying information for example address and phone number and anything else can help to find about you. With this information, and a fake driver's license with their own picture, they can start the crime. They apply in person for immediate credit, or through the mail by posing as you. They often offer an address of their own, saying to have moved. Neglectful credit grantors in their hurry to issue credit do not confirm information or addresses. So once the fraud opens the first account, they use this new account all along with the other identifiers to add to their trustworthiness. This facilitates the propagation of the fraud.

The impressionist get information about you by many places like your doctor, accountant, lawyer, dentist, school, place of work, health insurance transporter, and many others have your identifying information. If some illegally minded person is working at the office makes a decision to use this information to suppose your identity, you would not know it. Also if this information is not liable of with a shredder, a dumpster-diver could lift up the information and start the crime against you. You do not need to mislay your wallet or have anything touchable stolen from you for someone to take your identity. If you do not cut up your private information, utility bills, credit card slips and other documents, it is trouble-free to “dumpster dive” your garbage. Much of your information is willingly available on the Internet, at courts, and available from public ...