Wednesday, January 11, 2006

Four Types of Identity Theft

The following is courtesy of:



    "Identity theft is a crime in which the imposter obtains key pieces of information such as Social Security and driver's license numbers and uses them for his or her own gain. Victims are left with a tainted reputation and the complicated task of restoring their good names.

    There are four types of identity theft crime:

    Financial ID Theft — This type of case typically focuses on your name and Social Security number (SSN). This person may
    apply for telephone service, credit cards or loans, buy merchandise, lease cars or apartments.

    Criminal ID Theft — The imposter in this crime provides the victim's information instead of his or her own when stopped by law enforcement. Eventually when the warrant for arrest is issued it is in the name of the person issued the citation- yours.

    Identity Cloning — In this crime the imposter uses the victim's information to establish a new life. They work and live as you. Examples: Illegal aliens, criminals avoiding warrants, people hiding from abusive situations or becoming a "new person" to leave behind a poor work and financial history.

    Business or Commercial Identity Theft — Businesses are also victims of identity theft. Typically the perpetrator gets credit cards or checking accounts in the name of the business. The business finds out when unhappy suppliers send collection notices or their business rating score is affected.

    No matter what type of identity theft is involved, the result is a long and sometimes arduous road to recovery. As in all crimes, preventing the crime from occurring in the first place is key.

    ITRC strongly believes that while it is important for consumers to take steps to decrease their risk factors, the business community must do their part as well. This crime truly begins in the acquiring, use, storage and access of information we have given to businesses and governmental agencies. Until these groups do their part, this crime will not be stopped.

    This section includes information that will help both consumers and businesses. It includes risk factor tests, (IQ Test and Business Risk Test), information on how thieves steal your identifying data and recommendations on ways to decrease the chances of becoming this crime's next victim. (Prevention Tips) You will also find information on laws, legislation and local ITRC sponsored programs.

    Identity theft is a complex problem and a changing one. Please keep checking the Prevention Tips page for current information. You should also keep abreast of recent scams via our Scam Alert Section.

    Finally, some consumers ask about fraud alerts, credit monitoring services and contacting the Credit Reporting Agencies. You may click on these subjects to read more about the topic."

Be sure to visit the Identity Theft Resource Center by clicking here for more information.









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