Is Criminal Identity Theft Different From Identity Theft?

When you think of identity theft your mind conjures up a picture where somebody else is using your name doing something that will affect you eventually. It could be using your credit card details, withdrawing money from your bank account or sending an email from your email address, and so on. Identity theft is when something is done behind the scenes, in someone else’s name. This changes over to criminal identity theft when a person says they are someone else when arrested or accosted by a police officer. In other words, the moment the person in question gives another identity, other than his or her own, to a law officer then that person commits criminal identity theft.

If a criminal identity thieft has your identifying documents such as driver’s license, credit cards, social security card, etc, on their person then they might well be recognized as you. Often such a dual life can go on for a very long time, without you ever discovering that there is someone else, somewhere in world, using your name and identity to live.

Often such a situation becomes known only when the person does something drastic that involves the law, that is, you only learn about it when criminal identity theft has been commited and you are asked to explain. In the worse cases this could lead to arrest. By then, it would be extremely traumatic and difficult to defend yourself.

Other times when you could find out that you are a victim of criminal identity theft is when your bank loan is rejected because of bad credit or you fail to get a job on account of your police record, or you discover you have outstanding warrants in your name etc.

Unfortunately, the onus of proving that criminal identity theft has taken place lies with the victim. This can take a huge effort, taking years to set right. Not to mention the money spent and emotional trauma that such an experience causes.

If you suspect you are a victim of criminal identity theft, you should immediately take precautions, inform the local law enforcement authorities about your doubts, and submit whatever proof you have to support it. File an impersonation report at the earliest possible moment. The longer it goes on the longer it will take to restore your identity.

Tags: criminal-identity-theft

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