Identity theft is basically using someone’s personal information without their prior knowledge. One example: is a thief getting ahold of another’s person’s social security and driver’s license numbers and using that information to get a credit card or to buy a car. Anyone can become a victim of this crime because of the sheer countless ways for a person to steal another’s identity. Every state has different requirements for a crime to constitute as identity theft. “For example: In Wisconsin: Identity theft is defined as “Unauthorized use of an individual’s personal identifying information or documents, “require that a person’s identifying information or personal identification document be used without the person’s consent to obtain money, credit, goods, services, employment and anything in general of value,”(Knetzger, Muraski, 2009). In other wards, identity-theft is simply the theft and use of personal or identifying information for your own agenda without the consent of the owner of said information. In July of 2014: A Missouri man by the name of “Terry Lee Morrow Jr,” was convicted of stealing the identities of his customers who frequented his car dealership. He was sentenced to fifteen years in prison for his crimes in which have been labeled as the largest identity theft case in “Missouri.” Mr. Morrow operated “Edge Auto Sales,” and he would use the information he acquired from people who bought his car’s as well as those who simply applied for
Identity theft is a major concern today in our country, millions of a person’s identity have been compromised for many of years. Identity theft occurs when someone uses another person’s personal information such as name, Social Security number, driver’s license number, credit card number, or other identifying information to take on that person’s identity in order to commit fraud or other crimes. Stealing an identity is, unfortunately, surprisingly easy to do and happens when you least expect it. Just by opening your mail, something that has personal information on it, throwing it in the trash. Therefore, a person can go through your trash and take all that information and use it against you to take on a new identity.
There is a thief that lurks around us everyday; this thief can attack in brad day light or in the darkest hour, and just about anywhere you may find yourself. This thief has the power to act in your name, make unlimited purchases, open up credit accounts and ruin your good name and credit all in the matter of seconds; if you are vulnerable enough, you might become his next victim. In many cases all he needs is your name and a social security number, and he has enough information to make you his next victim; if you don’t believe me then ask the millions of Americans that became victim’s, or just ask me. The thief that I am talking about is identity theft. Identity theft is a
Figuring out if an identity is stolen is not easy only because it can be unknown until damage is dealt. This is why identity theft isn’t easy to stop. When most people report a crime, police arrive on the scene before serious damage is dealt, but when a thief steals a person’s identity, the victim can be unaware for quite some time before they realize the amount of money they lost. According to Tracey Whittaker and Anne Dilascio, in 2003, the average money lost from identity theft per person was $4,789, but in 2006 the average was less than $2000. The average out-of-pocket cost of identity theft victims in 2005 was
Given the widespread effects of identity theft, it’s clear to see why 18% of Australians believe they are at risk in the next 12 months. Some alarming statistics regarding identity theft are:
Becoming the victim of identity theft is never something that is a pleasant experience. Along with the fear regarding the actual event, there is also the aftermath that must be considered. It can sometimes take years to completely see the full effects of identity theft, but by learning more about the different types, it is much easier to get started making repairs.
Identity theft is when someone, without the consent of the owner, dishonestly uses, or intends to fraudulently use another individual’s personal identity. Personal identifying information can consist of an individual’s name, date of birth, driver’s license number, mother’s maiden name, state identification number, telephone number and other personal information that
One reason identify theft is being a fast growing crime in the United State is because; more people credit card information is being stolen. Around 10% of American has fallen victims to credit card theft. Around 7% of Americans have been victim of debit or ATM fraud and 12% of the fraud was on internet websites and 10 % was on the telephone. One example of identity theft was eighteen months after moving in with his fiancée Joe Tremba begain to receive collection letter about past due credit card account that have been given to a collection agency. Tremba who always pays his bills on time was
Therefore, when someone uses your personal information to obtain identification, credit or even a mortgage, you become a victim of identity theft. This crime is devastating to a victim’s credit score and peace of mind.
Identity theft is a type of fraud, it is the deliberate use of someone else's identity. Most commonly to gain money or obtain credit and other benefits in the victim’s name. The victim whose identity has been stolen may suffer consequences such as being held responsible for the offender's actions. Identity theft occurs when someone uses someone else’s identifying information (such as their name, credit card number, passport, etc.) without their permission.
Identity theft is said to be one of the fasting growing crimes in America. According to our textbook, the lifestyle exposure theory, explains the different levels of exposure risk and how some people are exposed to higher risk than others depending on their lifestyle. Identity theft or fraud is when someone takes illegal actions and steal someone’s personal information to gain something from it. The theft can gain access to demographic information easily from the internet to get your name, email address, telephone number, birthday, and even your physical address (Archer, 2012).
Identity Theft is the assumption of a person’s identity in order to obtain credit cards from back account and retailers; the crime varies from stealing money from existing bank accounts; renting apartments or storage units; applying for loans or establishing accounts using another’s name (legal dictionary, 2007). Identity theft and identity fraud are terms that are often used
By definition “Identity theft n. the dishonest acquisition of personal information in order to perpetrate fraud, typically by obtaining credit, loans, etc., in someone else's name; fraud perpetrated in this way. ” (dictionary.oed.com, 2007). It’s estimated that 9 million Americans have had their identities stolen each year. “According to the Secret Service, its investigations show a jump in potential losses due to identity theft, from $851 million in 1998 to $1.4 billion in 2000.” add citation from how stuff works There are many ways that thieve steal your identity, they may go through your trash, steal your wallet or purse. I will discuss a lot of the different ways in more
In 1999, an unsuspecting attorney by the name of Rosalie Pugliese was a victim of identity theft. Over a six-week period, not only did the thief run up over sixty-thousand dollars worth of goods and steal credit cards, but also the thief went on to impersonate her victim. In the Post-Gazette on August 26, 1999, staff writer Cristina Rouvalis wrote, ?The fraudulent purchases trickled in at first -- a $2,700 bill on a First Union credit card and a $18.74 AT&T cell phone bill in mid-December. Pugliese canceled both accounts -- which she had never even applied for -- and dismissed them as the work of a petty thief doing Christmas shopping on her dime.? The bills included an $8,000 cash advance at Atlantic City casinos, six thousand dollars worth of jewelry, and a seven thousand dollar Compaq laptop computer, just to name a few. This particular identity thief went above and beyond what most identity thieves do though. ?As investigators would soon discover, Pugliese's evil twin didn't just steal her name to rack up about $60,000 in debt. She stole her whole appearance, they said. She fixed her hair like Pugliese's -- a medium-length blond cut -- and sometimes tied a crisp scarf
A. Identity theft is defined as an illegal use of someone’s information in order to obtain money or credit in the
Identity theft continues to be a problem in the United States, yet research on identity thieves is limited. Both the theoretical and empirical literature on identity theft is in their infancy. As a result, not surprisingly, not much is known about this crime and its victims.