Identity Theft Causes Several Types of Problems
Identity theft has the potential to cause problems to just about everyone. Criminals understand how to obtain personal information to steal money. Often, identity theft isn't immediately noticed by the victim until other problems surface. Basically, there are four areas in which identity theft causes major problems. Knowing these areas will increase your awareness of this situation as well as give you the knowledge to protect yourself.
Financial Identity Theft
This is perhaps the most widely known form of this crime. In this case, a criminal uses another person's identity to buy goods or services. To accomplish this form of identity theft, the thief obtains personal information from the victim, namely their address, birthdate and relevant credit card or bank account numbers. The credit card or bank account may be breached, allowing the criminal access to all money or the entire line of credit. In other instances, the thief may apply for a loan using the identity of the victim. The resulting financial problems from this type of identity theft often take a long time to resolve and may ultimately affect the victim's credit history.
Criminal Identity Theft
This type of identity theft poses a completely different set of problems. A criminal may get a state issued ID using the personal information and stolen records from an unsuspecting victim. If, or when, the thief is arrested, they will then present their fake ID to authorities. They may even obtain a bail bond under their assumed identity. This type of identity theft of course, creates terrible problems for the innocent victim. A person may not know they have been victimized in this manner until their driver's license is suspended or they may even be arrested for not appearing in court. Clearing your name in a case of criminal identity theft can be very problematic. It may be necessary to engage the services of a skilled attorney. In rare cases, the identity theft leaves some problems on the paperwork end of things, with the name of the victim appearing as one of the aliases of the criminal.
Identity Cloning
This occurs when someone uses the personal information of a person to assume their identity in everyday life. This type of identity theft is common when a criminal is trying to avoid arrest or if someone is illegally in this country. In many cases, this type of identity theft doesn't cause any immediate problems, but is definitely a serious situation.
Corporate Identity Theft
This happens when a thief uses a company's name and reputation to buy goods or services or to obtain a line of credit. A company who is the victim of this type of identity theft has problems repairing their credit history and reestablishing their reputation.
