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Identity Theft Crimes

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Identity Theft Crimes
According to the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS), almost 18 million Americans were victims of identity theft crimes in 2014. In fact, the most common kind of identity theft during this year was the attempted unauthorized use of existing financial accounts. Identity theft crimes are very serious, but there are actually different ways that criminals attempt to misrepresent their victims. http://www.bjs.gov/content/pub/press/vit14pr.cfm
Employment
This crime is usually committed by individuals who lack social security numbers or criminals trying to hide their felony infractions. Anyone who officially works for a business must fill out an I-9 and W-4 form to receive their salary and pay taxes. Social security numbers must …show more content…

The criminal with a fake driver’s license can then avoid any and all traffic fines related to things like speeding or drunk driving. For example, when the criminal is pulled over by the police, they will willingly share their fake identify and then simply discard the ID. They will not show up for court, so the police will be looking for the victim. Because the victim's driving record includes these driving infractions, their insurance rates may rise or they may be denied new car insurance. In the worst case scenario, they may temporarily have their license revoked or suspended until they can prove their …show more content…

A criminal may take out a loan, purchase a vehicle or even obtain a credit card in their victim’s name accumulate debts. Sophisticated career criminals may even establish a full identity or apply for a mortgage in the victim’s name. Credit card fraud is the most common identity theft crime because it is relatively easy to apply for financial services online. Once obtained, the criminal can simply purchase items online without ever having their ID checked by a cashier. Because these crimes are so common, the three major credit reporting agencies, Equifax, Experian and TransUnion, make it relatively easy to file complaints and correct credit

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