Nikki Greene asked:




Ask anyone who’s ever been robbed of their identity, and they’ll tell you that it typically takes years to recover from such a violation. This extremely personal crime goes far beyond using someone else’s name to make a hefty purchase at a department store. In addition to credit card charges, bank account withdrawals, social security tampering and a number of other ways in which your life would be impacted, unrelated crimes can also be committed – in your name – for which you may be held responsible.

It’s pretty safe to assume that when you hear the phrase “identity theft,” you’ll know immediately what’s being discussed. Not many folks, however, are aware that criminal identity theft takes this type of crime a step beyond simply racking up charges on someone else’s credit cards.

In fact, criminal identity theft is the term used when an individual poses as someone else when confronted by a law enforcement officer. In other words, if someone – who has taken on your identity – is arrested or approached in any way by a law enforcement official and they offer some form of ID that identifies them by your name, then the line has been crossed from identity theft to criminal identity theft.

By obtaining vital documents, such as a driver’s license, social security card and other legal documents in your name, they can effectively “become” you. In some cases, these individuals build a life for themselves in some other part of the world and, unless some red flag goes up on your end, you might never know it until something drastic takes places, such as an arrest warrant that’s issued in your name.

Obtaining a job, buying a home, taking out a loan and every other area that you can think of will be impacted if such an event takes place. In most cases, it takes a specific set of circumstances that brings about the knowledge that criminal identity theft has been committed. Some examples of this would be the discovery that there’s a criminal record in your name that renders you ineligible for a particular job, the denial of a loan or application for a mortgage as the result of unsatisfied debts that you didn’t incur or an arrest as the result of an outstanding warrant in your name when you’re simply stopped for a routine traffic violation or safety belt check.

The real tragedy here is that the burden of proof is on the victim when it comes time to clear up these issues, which can take years in the legal system and cost thousands of dollars as the judicial clock continues to count down the minutes until you’re able to prove that you are, in fact, who you claim to be and did not commit the crimes of which you’ve been accused. This particular type of criminal activity occurs more often than you might imagine and has devastated the lives of countless innocent people.

If you should be the target of criminal identity theft, here are just a few of the things that you can do in order to begin the process of clearing your name within the legal system:

Report the misidentification to your local law enforcement agency
File an official impersonation report
Gain knowledge of the particular laws within your state regarding criminal identity theft and your rights as a victim
Insist that the law enforcement agency who takes the impersonation report files a copy with the authorities in the state or county where the perpetrator resides
Contact the Motor Vehicle Department, in the event that your license has been violated
Check to see if your state has any victims’ rights groups or other advocates who can help you to win your case
Hire an attorney that has experience with criminal identity theft

Don’t let someone ruin your good name – take the necessary steps to protect your documents and other means of identification. Otherwise, there may be an imposter out there who will be laughing all the way to the jail cell – yours.

Spencer Ray asked:




With the advancement of technology, the way we manage our money has also advanced. Unfortunately, the ways in which dishonest individuals try to steal personal information has also become increasingly sophisticated. In order to protect your identity and financial information, implement these guidelines:

Shred bank and other financial documents instead of just throwing it in the trash bin. Keep important records under lock and key. Never carry both your driver’s license and social security card together in your wallet or purse. Use a secure mailbox to send outgoing mail. Pick up mail from your mailbox as soon as possible. Never give out your social security number or other personal information over the phone; unless you are sure of the company or individual that you are speaking with. Purchasing items online is usually secure; however, always use caution and make sure you know that the business is legitimate.
If you would like to go a step further; some services will actually monitor your personal identity for you. They will use sophisticated methods to prevent identity theft from occurring, will notify you of suspicious activity, and can help if identity theft has occurred.

These companies will monitor any sort of activity that takes places on your credit report, and will allow you the ability to prevent identity theft from occurring.

We work all our lives building a nest egg of money to retire on; its important that we protect our lifetime of work. It is important to take certain steps against identity theft. Use the steps provided to make your personal information more secure.

Mark Henderson asked:




What is identity theft?

Identity theft is when someone without your permission fraudulently receives and uses your sensitive information.

Is identity theft a criminal offence?

Identity theft is a serious criminal offence. When someone commits an identity theft by using your name and credit record it may take you months, even years clearing up the confusion. Clearing up an identity theft may prove to be very expensive. The chances are while repairing the mess due to the identity theft, you may lose your job, or lose out on job options, your home and car loans may be turned down and even education loans may be rejected. You may also be arrested for crimes committed by someone else using your identity.

What exactly is stolen in an identity theft?

In an identity theft the thieves fraudulently obtain your name, address, phone numbers, bank and credit card account numbers, driver’s license and social security number (SSN).

How is identity theft committed?

Persons committing identity theft are very resourceful and get information from different sources. One very simple way is by stealing wallets and purses carrying identification and credit cards or by stealing personal information from your home directly. Identity theft may be carried out by persons pretending to be an employer, landlord or any other person who have legal right to your personal information. Identity theft perpetrators may steal records from employers, or bribe an employee having access to the records or even hacking into organization’s computers.

Another identity theft method is by going through your personal or business trash. This is known as “dumpster diving”. Identity theft may be carried out by someone abusing the employer’s trust and accessing credit report information.

Personal information can be obtained by stealing credit and debit card numbers by skimming through the special information storage device that processes these cards. Identity theft is committed by stealing your mail that contain your bank and credit card statements, pre-approved credit offers, tax information or new checks. Diverting your mail to another address by filling out a “change of address form” is another way of committing identity theft. Your personal information can be obtained by someone falsely posing as a business person or government official, carrying false identities or papers.

How do they use the information after an identity theft?

After an identity theft the perpetrators can use your credit and debit numbers to make large purchases like computers, televisions, etc. that can be sold later. Persons committing identity theft can make counterfeit checks and debit cards and use up your bank account or open a bank account in your name and write bad checks. The identity thieves can file for bankruptcy under your name to skip paying the debts they have incurred and also use the information to avoid eviction.

Identity theft can be utilized to open a new credit account using all your personal information like name, date of bills, SSN and any non-payment of bills is then reflected on your credit report. Identity theft can be used to get an auto loan in your name, establish phone on wireless service in your name. Identity theft perpetrators can change the mailing address on your credit card account and keep charging your account. You will not be aware of this for sometime as these bills will go to the new address. Another serious consequence of identity theft is when your name is given to the police by the identity thieves, and on release when they do not show up at the court, an arrest warrant will be issued in your name. This leads you into serious trouble.

How do you identify yourself a prey to an identity theft?

You should always be up to date with all your financial records and dealings and be careful with your personal information. Identity theft can be found out by checking on unexplained charges and withdrawals from your account. You can tell an identity theft if you receive calls from debt collectors or companies asking for payments on goods or services not purchased by you. You can tell you are a victim of identity theft when you receive credit cards you did not apply for and also when your credit application is rejected without any cause. Any mail indicating your change of address or not receiving any mail on your correct address will show a cause for identity theft.

Susan asked:


I was under the impression that the SS# is not necessary, unless one has accepted a position, so that the employer can withhold taxes, pay Social Security, FICA, etc. With identify theft being such a concern nowadays, should job seekers be giving their SS# out on all applications, whether online or in writing?

Michael Russell asked:




In today’s technologically advanced world more and more people are falling victim to identity theft both online and offline. It was reported by a general accounting office that over 700,000 Americans have their identity stolen every year and that number is expected to rise over time. While many thieves operate online there are still many “dumpster divers” who go through people’s trash cans looking for a credit card statement or a solicitation that someone forgot to tear up. You may be thinking that people don’t do this stuff but there are people who spend a lot of time waiting on someone to forget to shred a piece of their personal information so they can take it and start running up your credit cards and using your social security number. It may be impossible to stop someone from stealing your identity entirely, but there are things that you can do to lower the risk of having it happen.

A simple way to stop thieves from getting your personal information by dumpster diving is to remember to destroy all private records and statements. You can tear the stuff up, but it is best to shred it. Credit card statements, documents with financial information and solicitations all need to be shredded. It is also a good idea to secure your mail, you can do this by emptying your mailbox quickly, lock it or get a P.O box. By securing your mail it will stop thieves from stealing credit card pitches and other financial information. Never mail bills or checks from your home, it is simple for thieves to go through your mail and get a bill or check and change the payee’s name on the check by erasing it with solvent. Mail out all of your bills and checks from the post office since it is the most secure location to do so.

Your social security number should also be protected. You should never carry your social security card with you or any other card that may have your number on it, this includes your heath insurance card. The social security number is the key to all of your information so thieves look for stuff like this. If they get your social security number they can get access to other important information like your credit report and your bank account. Also remember to never leave ATM, credit card or gas receipts behind.

A lot of people have their identities stolen because they fail to educate themselves about who they’re giving their private and financial information to. When someone calls with some kind of special offer or something don’t be quick to give up your information if you’re interested in their offer, first ask them who they are and what company they represent and then do a little research yourself. Don’t ever give up your financial information over the phone. Monitor your credit card, obtain a copy of your credit report annually and review it thoroughly for anything that may look suspicious to you. Also thoroughly review your credit card statement, make sure all of the merchants look familiar and if they don’t, call your credit card company and notify them about the suspicious things on your statement.

There are simple precautions that you can take to stop criminals from obtaining your private information. Be more aware when you use your credit card and don’t forget to shred up all important information that you throw into the trash.

Ashley asked:


Please read the whole post if you think you have advice. I’m pretty far in the process but the load of fraud committed is spiraling out of my control to handle it.

I lost my wallet about 3 and a half weeks ago. Immediately I canceled the debit card that was in there for one checking account and closed another checking account that was associated with a brand new book of checks in the wallet. The thing I didn’t do and should have (among many) was closed the checking account that was associated with the debit card. I didn’t because they couldn’t use the debit card if it was found since I canceled it. I also didn’t put stop payments on the checks in the checkbook (for the other account) because for some reason I didn’t know which numbers they were. I just closed the account. I now know the numbers but it’s too late since the account has been closed for so long.

However, what was in my wallet is mind-blowingly horrendous to think about: I had my driver’s license, the debit card, checkbook, social security card, a card with the checking account number associated with the debit card, a blank check my mom had given me about a year ago that I foolishly never voided or shredded, my voter ID card, health insurance cards from expired insurance plan, my AAA card, etc., etc.

Basically every last thing they needed to become me.

The first thing they did was figure out the checking account number associated with the debit card and went to that bank and wrote themselves a check into that account from the checkbook of the other checking account that I had closed. So that was the first $200. This person must look an awful lot like me to be posing as me and I got the check image in the mail that showed the forged signature which they did a pretty good job of.

So that was the first thing which I attended to immediately and am in the process of filling out an affidavit to be notarized to get that expunged so it’s not the biggest hassle ever. There was only $12 in that checking account which is why I didn’t bother to close it (dumb) but I got that back after talking to the bank.

Then the retail returned checks started coming in. Steadily at first and I was on top of them calling and making sure I knew what I needed to do. I could keep everything straight in my head and on paper and was making every plan to remedy the situation with affidavits and everything.

Before I go on, I didn’t file an immediate police report. Honestly, I did not in a million years think this would happen and it really didn’t occur to me. However, after having talked to all these retailers (well, check processors or whatever), I’ve come to the conclusion that it’s imperative. So I have a case number for the wallet and a case number for the checks, but I know I’m going to have to get them more info. I was waiting for all these check processors to send me the check images in the mail so I could show the police but everybody urges me to just file the report right away as the retailers might have video of this person that they may get rid of soon. So tomorrow, first thing in the morning I’m calling the white collar crimes division of the PD to talk to the detective assigned to my cases.

What I also did was contact Transunion very early on to notify them of possible fraud. This was just an alert as I didn’t know that I would actually become a victim. So they are aware and today I enrolled in ID Theft Protection Insurance with Zander to make sure I’m okay in the future.

The problem now is that there are too many forged, returned checks for me to keep straight and I have no idea how to go about getting all this straightened out. There is a mound of paperwork for me to fill out for each returned check and I’m completely lost at this point. It’s spiraled totally out of my control.

The question is this: What do I do now? Hire a lawyer? Can somebody professionally help me sort through all of the fraud I have on my plate? I am at a breaking point where I’m about to have a nervous breakdown. I spent 2/3 of this day crying and not getting my work done because this situation is so daunting.

Any professional advice is so greatly appreciated. I know I didn’t fill in all the details so I’ll update this if I think of any.

Jon Arnold asked:




You can hardly read the newspaper or watch the evening news these days without hearing about another case of identity theft. This is one of the fastest growing crimes of this decade and continues to increase. The Federal Trade Commission reports that reported cases of identity theft have been near or at the top of their list of consumer complaints, accounting for more than 40% of all FTC complaints filed.

In addition to the crime aspect of identity theft, the amount of money lost as a result of identity theft is estimated to be over $50 billion dollars every year, making it one of the most costly crimes on record to date. This includes identity theft losses from businesses as well as individual consumers.

When most people think of identity theft, they may associate that with using one’s credit card for an online purchase over the Internet. But in reality, the Internet is not associated with this crime in a surprisingly high number of reported cases, and that as much as 70% of ID theft cases stem from being an “inside job”. What this means is that an employee or former employee of a business or company is the thief, and this could even be at places where you normally shop today.

Further investigation into this crime shows that in more than 25% of reported cases, the victim knew or was related to the thief. This is not merely a misunderstanding between family members, but rather are actual reported cases where the crime was committed with malicious intent.

The foremost rule for identity theft protection is that you must be very careful who you share your personal information with. How well do you really know the person that you are sharing your data with? What do they need it for? In almost all cases, there is not a need to provide as much information as most people freely give out.

This is particularly true for your social security number, which is the key to the lock for virtually every piece of personal information about you. Do not carry your social security card in your purse or wallet, because if your purse or wallet gets stolen, you have also given away a critical piece of personal information.

If you have an email account, you have probably seen the emails allegedly from your bank stating they have had a security breach and need you to click a link to verify your personal information. NEVER click that link. The site you end up at may look official, even with your bank’s graphic logo, but it is all a mockup, and if you divulge your personal information there, you have just become a victim. If you question the reality of that email, call your bank and talk to someone in the fraud department, who can verify whether or not the bank really sent that. I can almost guarantee that they did not.

Keep your eyes open and consider what information you are giving out and ask yourself if that person really needs that information about you. Your identity is your business, and the months of hassles you will endure if you are a victim of identity theft is not worth the risk.

Ryan asked:


I received a random letter today from a hospital in North Dakota that stated debt collectors were trying to collect a payment from me. I have never lived in ND. I just recently moved from Ohio to Kentucky, so my information just changed over this week actually. I was worried that somebody stole my identity, so I contacted Equifax, so I could check my credit score. I am hoping that my change of address is what is causing the problems. However, after submitting my information, I was given this message:
We’re sorry, for your protection we are unable to deliver your FACT Act Equifax Free Annual Credit Report on the internet. There are a number of reasons that we may be unable to fulfill your request online. You may have a Security Freeze on your credit file, an Active Duty Military or Fraud Alert, or the identification information submitted online may not match the information on file. Please note that your credit card has not been charged
The following link will lead you to a form that is not screen-readable at this time. However, this form is not required to request your free Equifax credit report by mail. Please send your name, current address, former address, and social security number, along with any documents described below, to the following address: Annual Credit Report Request Service, P.O. Box 105281, Atlanta, GA 30348-5281. For assistance by phone, please call us at 800-685-1111.

B. Carson asked:




Getting proven id theft solutions is important because being a victim of ID theft is a personal crime. In fact 70% of the victims of ID theft often feel very angered and in disbelief. In fact this crime costs businesses and individuals a total of $221 billion last year. A lot of money is lost as a result of identity theft. Most people feel that destroying their private records and statements might be enough to protect them from being a victim of ID theft.

They may even go as far as to safeguard their Social Security number. Often this is not enough protection from the scarring crime of ID theft. In fact those that simply shred documents to protect their Social Security number often become the victim of ID theft at some point in their lives.

And usually by the time they figure out that they’ve been a victim it is already too late. Usually by the time they find out they are already hundreds of thousands of dollars in credit cards and loans taken out on their name.

And the first hint of the crime is when they start receiving phone calls from creditors about past due bills that they have no idea about. There are better id theft solutions to preventing this crime from happening to you. It is much better to take advantage of professional id theft solutions that will guarantee you financial protection in case you ever become a victim of this crime.

There are even services that will offer $1 million guarantee in case this crime ever affects you. The best identity theft protection services usually have fraud and resolution assistance, e-mail alerts of key changes, internet scan for misuse of Social Security numbers and of course ATM and credit card protection for wherever you shop.