A Personal Crime: Criminal Identity Theft
There are many ways that a criminal can steal from others. Some of those ways include robbing an individual of the cash or personal possessions they are carrying, stealing a vehicle, entering an individual’s home and stealing items, etc. However, recently stealing from another has taken on a whole new dimension.
That dimension is when an individual is involved in criminal identity theft. Criminal identity theft is that situation when a thief actually steals another’s identity. In order to protect against criminal identity theft it is important to know what it is, ways that thieves can accomplish this theft and steps an individual can take to protect themselves from this devastating criminal activity.
What Is Criminal Identity Theft?
Criminal identity theft is that situation in which an unscrupulous individual takes on the identity of another person with the purpose of posing as that individual. The repercussions of this action can take a negative toll on the person whose identity has been stolen.
That negative toll can be in the area of legal matters, finances, credit ratings, employment interviews, etc. In fact, whatever the thief does in a negative or positive manner is a direct reflection upon the identity that has been stolen from another individual.
In addition, unfortunately, criminal identity theft is not noticed unless the criminal engages in an illegal activity and is apprehended. In addition, credit cards or other financial activities may be engaged in by the criminal. If the individual with the true identity is unaware of this financial activity it may reflect poorly on the victim if the person who engages in the criminal identity theft defaults on that financial arrangement.
The worst case scenario is if any of these negative events transpire the extensive involvement required for the person with the true identity to clear their good name is a legal nightmare.
How Thieves Accomplish This Action
Thieves are able to accomplish criminal identity theft by securing data sensitive documents. Those documents include driver’s licenses, social security cards, birth certificates, etc.
These documents can be obtained if an individual carries these sensitive documents on their person and they are the victim of a robbery or lose their purse or wallet. Through the use of these identification documents a thief can conceivably assume the victim’s identity by making minor changes
Protective Steps
To minimize the possibilities of criminal identity theft there are a number of steps that an individual should take. First of all, it is imperative that the social security card or social security number never be carried with an individual.
Also, if you lose your wallet or purse along with any identification, make sure you report your loss to the authorities. In addition, if the driver’s license is lost it is important to notify the local Department of Motor Vehicles.
In addition, it is a good idea to have your credit report checked at least yearly. However, if you feel that criminal identity theft may be a possibility with the loss of sensitive information, enroll in a fraud alert service. This service will notify you right away of any activity that involves your identity and application of any new credit accounts.
