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Identity Theft Is Not A New Type Of Crime

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Merriam-Webster defines identity theft as the illegal use of someone else 's personal identifying information (such as a Social Security number) in order to get money or credit. The United States Department of Justice says identity theft is, “The short answer is that identity theft is a crime. Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person 's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain.” While both definitions incorporate the simplicity of the word, the actual act of identity theft takes on many more forms and requires a more thorough description.
Identity theft is not a new type of crime. While there is no known or documented first occurrence of identity theft, it can be assumed ever since people used names and personal identifiers, the act of someone else using that identity was also occurring. ModernNation.com traces identity theft back to 3500 B.C. in ancient Mesopotamia. Mark hay from Modern Nation states, “The first cases of fraud using personal data stored on a piece of technology enabling the impersonation of someone in transactions probably goes back to the cylinder seals of ancient Mesopotamia.” The cylinders and seal contained the owner’s political standing, wealth and property. When stolen by another party, whoever controlled the cylinder could have complete access to the victim’s life and property. While identity theft

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