What is Identity Theft?
An emergent issue in society, identity theft is the series of tasks involving the theft of one’s personal information, such as your name, credit card number, or social security number which in turn is utilized for illegal activity. It is the fastest growing crime in America and it is estimated by the FTC, that approximately 9 million individuals get their identities stolen each year. With more frequent online use, identity theft abuse is expected to grow and impact individuals of all ages.
Your identity is highly valuable and you need it to function in everyday life. Organisations need to verify your identity before opening new accounts or issuing goods / services. Everybody has a unique identity in terms of DNA, fingerprints and physical appearance which cannot be easily replicated, but typical identity verification processes involve simple details such as name, date of birth, address, and mothers maiden name combined with documentation like utility bills, financial statements, payslips etc. Such details and documentation are shockingly easy to obtain, allowing someone else to impersonate you and steal your identity. A sophisticated Identity Thief can then use your basic personal details to obtain more convincing forms of identification such as Passports, Driving Licences and replacement Birth Certificates. Identity Theft – is the misappropriation of the identity (such as the name, date of birth, current address or previous addresses) of another person, without their kn
Identity theft involved acquiring key pieces of someones identifying information, such as name, address, date of birth, social security number and mothers maiden name, in order to impersonate them. This information enables the identity thief to commit numerous forms of fraud which include, but are not limited to, taking over the victims financial accounts, opening new bank accounts, purchasing automobiles, applying for loans, credit cards and social security benefits, renting apartments and establishing service with utility and phone companies. Identity Theft is covered under California Penal Code section 530.5:Unauthorized Use of Personal Identifying Information (a) Every person who willfully obtains personal identifying information, as defined in sub-division (b), of another person without the authorization of that person, and uses that information for any unlawful purpose, including to obtain, or attempt to obtain, credit, goods, services, or medical information in the name of the o
