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Defining the Insidious Crime of Identity Theft
It is late at night and you are walking down the street alone.
The wind is blowing briskly through the tall buildings you are passing by.
Then, a person appears, out of nowhere. He/she proceeds to run past you,
knocking you over, making a grab for your wallet and disappearing around a
corner.
It could be a scene from a movie, only it happened! However, this type of
stealing, person-to-person, may only exist in Hollywood.
Why?
Thieves no longer need to personally rob a person, bank or any other establishment
because they just use an individual’s information to obtain employment,
credit and bank accounts and other means of obtaining money or credit.
Such activity has now alarmingly affected millions of victims in the United
States and Canada and is known as Identity theft. It has shown up in news reports
for the past several years. Campaigns and laws have been passed all to combat
it and build up public awareness.
Last September 2003, the FTC reported that identity theft victims suffer
terribly from the said crime. They spend more than $1,400.00, and 200 hours
to clear up their personal and financial reputation.
Once identity theft crime becomes more flagrant, victims may have to spend
more than this, and not only in terms of time and money. They may end up
spending more in terms of frustration.
If you do not have money to spend, or rather, waste just to pay for being
a victim of identity theft, then you must know the exact definitions of identity
theft, how it works and how you can become a victim. By knowing and defining
identity theft to other people, too, they will come up with more ways to
combat against it.
Identity theft or ID theft is the crime of obtaining and using another
individual’s personal data. By personal data I mean another person's
name, address, telephone number, phone card or credit card and Social
security number. This act is done without the knowledge of the victim
and is usually followed by a criminal act.
The criminal acts of an identity thief may range from committing financial
fraud using stolen personal information. Indeed, identity theft is done by someone,
pretending to be another who purchases products using that person’s
credit account, obtaining money from bank accounts and ordering goods and
services using another’s credit name.
The victim of identity theft is usually left with the bill for the
purchased/ordered goods and services. Sometimes, victims are surprised when
they find out that their applications for loans or credit are denied because without
their knowledge, they have accumulated too many loans because of the handiwork
of an identity thief.
Stealing people’s identity is a serious crime. The frauds and deceptions
being done using another individual’s identity is another unlawful act.
Once identity thieves steal other people's identity they usually do the
following:
- make purchases or order goods without the intention to pay
- apply for credit
- open bank accounts
- apply for loans
- apply for government benefits
- obtain cable or utility services using the another person’s (victim)
name
- forge checks or bank drafts
- use victim’s accounts to obtain money through wire transfers using
the victim's accounts
- and other similar acts of fraud.
Individuals are not the only targets of identity theft. Identity Thieves also target
business establishments, especially those medium and small limited businesses.
Corporate identity theft happens when an individual applies for credit or
buys goods under the pretense of being a company director of a certain company.
Beforehand, they con the government agencies concerned with registering business
companies. They file for change of names and address.
They use the said address to direct suppliers of goods they bought, when
the bill arrives, they have long disappeared. The company, then suffer the
brunt of such criminal acts.
Aside from people with good and well-established credit reports, identity
theft also victimizes those without much credit. Sometimes they steal college
students’ identities to set up fake credit accounts.
Presently, many efforts are being made to make people aware of identity
theft. There are also federal laws passed that already define identity theft
as a serious criminal act instead of just a fraudulent activity. This is
a big step in the fight against rampant identity theft.
Individuals must be proactive so as not to become a victim of identity theft.
We must be doubly sure that all our personal documents and information are
protected and are not passed on into wrong hands.
Avoid being a victim of identity theft, beware and be cautious!
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