There are plenty of things that you could own. Some may have been bought, others given to you, and still other passed along from generation to generation.
Those things may have a monetary value, they may have a sentimental value. They may be things like pictures or heirlooms that would be worth little to anyone other than the people who know their history.
And what’s the problem with owning things? They can be stolen. Or damaged by fire, flood or earthquake.
One other item that can be stolen from individuals is something extremely personal. That item is a person’s identity. To increase the general awareness of identity theft it is important to define identity theft. In order to define identity theft it is imperative to know how society defines identity theft and how it can occur.
Just What Is Identity Theft, Anyway?
Identity theft occurs when someone misrepresents themselves as another person, usually for the purpose of committing fraud. This could include illegally accessing that person’s financial accounts or committing criminal acts in their name.
Also, to properly define identity theft, it is critical to define the negative impact experienced by the individual whose identity has been stolen. One of the negative repercussions of identity theft is financial loss. Often an identity theft crime will affect a person’s bottom line as thieves access credit cards, bank accounts, etc.
In addition, if not addressed quickly, an identity theft victim will have to deal with damage pe
rpetuated on their good name. Often this damage is reflected in credit ratings, possible criminal activity, employment interviews, etc. Although the victim is innocent, often it takes months or even years for the devastating effects of the identity theft to be cleared.
How Identity Theft Occurs
Additionally, when asked to define identity theft, it may be beneficial to discuss how identity theft occurs. Often identity theft takes place when critical pieces of information are obtained from the individual who is being stalked by an identity theft thief.
These pieces of critical information are generally identification numbers or data that only the owner of that information is privy to. Some of those numbers could be social security numbers, personal identification numbers (PINs), passwords, a mother’s maiden name, date of birth, etc.
If these numbers are obtained by an identity thief, they can use them to pose as you to banks, credit companies or other services. This personal information should never be given out glibly.
Often a company is very clear that they will never ask for these sensitive numbers unless the customer has initiated the call. In addition, often a company will only ask for the last four numbers of a person’s 9 digit social security number.
Also, identity thieves may look through trash or steal a person’s purse or wallet. It is therefore very important to shred all unwanted mail that contains sensitive information as well as never carrying your social security card with you.
|
Rate This Article |
Add Comments |
Send To Friends
Print |
Download as PDF