Identity Theft

Identity theft is the theft of an individual's personal information or financial information for personal gain. A person may use the internet to commit identity theft, may deceive an individual in order to obtain their information through a scheme or posing as a reputable company, may go through an individual's trash or may steal mail. Social security numbers, credit card numbers, contact information and bank account information are all forms of information which may be used to commit identity theft. Whether identity theft is allegedly committed by way of physical theft or fraud, a defendant may be at risk of facing serious penalties if convicted.

Identity theft is a relatively new concept, which became a federal offense in 1998. Prior to that, there were no federal laws specifically pertaining to the theft and use of one's identity. Today, more than a decade later, identity theft is aggressively investigated and prosecuted. The public as a whole is now more aware of these offenses, but they continue to occur as offenders find new ways of obtaining and using personal information.

The Various Ways of Committing Identity Theft

There are a number of ways to obtain another's personal information:

• Eavesdropping on conversations or "shoulder surfing" (looking over one's shoulder while inputting information on a computer, ATM or phone.
• Going through a person's trash to find credit card applications or other sensitive information.
• Phishing - posing as a reputable company in order to get a person to surrender personal information online.
• Hacking into databases or computer systems to obtain credit card information, bank account numbers, etc.
• Committing any type of fraud, whether over the internet, mail or even in person, in order to obtain personal information.

A person may use another's identity in order to obtain loans or credit cards, avoid arrest by law enforcement or even rent property.

Click here to find a local criminal defense lawyer.