Nature of Identity Theft

• This crime occurs when someone acquires personal information about another and uses it for financial or material gain. The thief may obtain credit cards in another's name, use another's credit card to buy expensive items or write checks from another person's account. A victim may not realize the crime until after charges have been made in his name.
  
  

Ways Identity Is Stolen

• Identity thieves obtain information about others relatively easily. A stolen wallet usually contains all necessary information to assume another's identity. Credit card numbers and debit card PINs can be obtained by standing close to someone at an ATM. Employees may steal information from personnel files at work, and cashiers can use special machines to download a customer's credit information for later use. Criminals will also steal mail from mailboxes or information from garbage cans or dumpsters.
  
  

Effects of Stolen Identity

• Identity theft puts an individual at extreme risk of developing credit problems, although the victim is not at fault. Bounced checks, unpaid credit card bills and credit overdrafts can cause a victim to receive a negative credit score. In some cases, a victim may even have to pay some of the charges made by the identity thief.