Types of Identity Theft

When you think of Identity theft, you probably imagine something simple like someone rifling through the trash can to steal credit card numbers or accounts from mail that was not properly shredded. Or maybe you imagine some cyber-criminal sitting behind a super-computer somewhere, swiping data out of the "Internet Air" as it goes by and then using that stolen data to buy themselves some new RAM. The truth is that the most common types of identity theft don't happen via either of these methods. The vast majority of people who have their identity stolen actually know the thief. Since being educated is an important part of any battle for safety and security, here is information on the different types of identity theft prevalent in American society.

Criminal Identity Theft

Criminal identity theft can be the most frightening type of identity theft of all, because victims don't usually find out about it until they are being slapped into handcuffs and hauled off to jail for a crime they didn't commit. Criminal identity theft is when a criminal uses a fake identity in the commission of a crime. Once law enforcement has your fraudulent information in connection with a crime, when they stop you for something simple like a traffic ticket and find a warrant for your arrest, you can quickly find yourself in the unfortunate position of trying to prove your innocence from behind bars.

Familial Identity Theft

This type of identity theft is most commonly committed when an irresponsible parent has a utility disconnected for non-payment and then uses the social security number of their child in order to open a new account. This type of crime is rarely prosecuted, but is as illegal as all other types of identity theft and can bring significant damage to the credit rating of the child whose identity is stolen to be used in this manner.

Financial Identity Theft

This type of identity theft is the most commonly known and the most dreaded by most Americans. It entails getting hold of a key piece of information about you such as a credit card number or your social security number, and then using that information to go on a shopping spree of sorts that can last for days, months or years. While fairly common, this type of identity theft is the least often discovered quickly and may also be the hardest to catch and prosecute depending on how much time has expired between the spending crime and when the theft is discovered.

Employment Identity Theft

Probably the most common type of identity theft in America today, this is where a criminal uses a stolen social security number or other piece of identifying information in order to pass themselves off as legally eligible to work in the United States. This type of identity theft is very hard to detect since it rarely results in any revealing information being sent to the victim's home (like credit card bills), and tracking down the criminal perpetrator of this crime is especially difficult.

Medical Identity Theft

Medical identity theft is where a criminal assumes your identity in order to receive medical treatment at no charge. This type of theft is most commonly committed in the emergency rooms of hospitals around the information, when a thief will give a false social security number and name when asked by the hospital staff in order to process for payment. In a couple of months the unsuspecting victim receives a hefty bill in the mail for services the never committed and the thief is long gone.