Identity Theft
Identity theft occurs when someone uses your personal information without your permission to commit fraud or other crimes. After obtaining key information such as Social Security or driver's license numbers, they use them to commit or to aid or abet unlawful activity. Unfortunately, identity theft is the fasting growing crime in the United States.
There are four types of identity theft crime:
1. Financial ID Theft - This type of identity theft focuses on your name and Social Security number. By just stealing your Social Security number, your imposter may apply for telephone service, credit cards or loans, buy merchandise, lease cars or apartments and more. For example, they may change the billing address on your credit card account so you don't get a bill. It will probably take some time before you realize it. In the meantime, they have run up charges or even maxed out your account. And that is just the beginning. Falsely taking out a loan to which you then become delinquent, draining bank accounts and more.
2. Criminal ID Theft - In this case, the imposter gives your personal information instead of his/her own when stopped by law enforcement. Eventually when a warrant for arrest is issued, it is in the name of the person issued the citation- yours!
3. Identity Cloning - In this type of identity theft, the imposter uses your information to establish a new life. They work and live as if they were you. For example, illegal aliens, criminals avoiding warrants or becoming a "new person" (you) to leave behind a poor work and financial history.
4. Business or Commercial Identity Theft - Just like in the individual cases, the perpetrator gets credit cards or checking accounts in the name of the business. The business doesn't know what is going on until their suppliers send collection notices or their business rating score is affected.
No matter what type of identity theft is involved, the result is a long and frustrating road to recovery. As in all crimes, preventing the crime from occurring in the first place is key.
Don't leave mail sitting in your mailbox, shred all financial documents before putting out the trash and be mindful of who you are giving personal information to - especially on the internet.
If you are a victim of identity theft you should monitor your credit reports and other financial records for several months after you've discovered the crime. Also, review your credit reports once every three months in the first year of the theft from each of the three major credit reporting agencies, and once a year thereafter.
If you are having trouble dealing with the domino effect involved with identity theft,
contact us at elegalplans.com. Our experience attorneys will help guide you through the credit repair process and get you back to the real you.
Identity Theft is becoming a large issue with credit card fraud and bank checking accounts. Some theft problems are from your trash can or mail.
|
