| By now, almost all Americans understand how | | | | active and will actually pay the bills. But if they dont pay |
| common the crime of identity theft has become and | | | | or stop paying later on, then it again goes against your |
| should also realize that they are prone to becoming a | | | | credit history and can affect your ability to obtain and |
| victim of this horrendous crime. While most have | | | | maintain these necessary services. |
| probably heard of the many problems that can result | | | | A more serious type of identity theft activity is |
| from identity theft, many may not truly understand | | | | government documentation fraud where a criminal can |
| what a criminal does with personal information once | | | | use your personal information for many different |
| they have access to it. Protecting yourself means | | | | purposes. They may get a drivers license or state ID |
| understanding what a criminal may do once they have | | | | with your information and their picture. One common |
| your personal information so you can monitor | | | | practice of identity theft is the usage of someone |
| suspicious activity. Once your personal information has | | | | elses Social Security number for employment |
| been compromised, thieves can commit many crimes | | | | purposes. While this practice does happen with people |
| including bank or credit card fraud, utilities fraud, | | | | who are on the run from the law or wish to stay |
| governmental documentation fraud, and even criminal | | | | hidden for some other reason, it is more likely that an |
| fraud. This article will discuss the different ways a thief | | | | illegal immigrant without a Social Security number of |
| may use your personal identity information and what | | | | their own will commit this crime. The Social Security |
| methods you can use to protect yourself. | | | | administration is not well equipped to detect this type |
| The most popular and most common way of using | | | | of problem and it may go on for years unless the IRS |
| someones personal information is bank or credit card | | | | notices some abnormality at tax time. Another problem |
| fraud and this type of fraud can be very detrimental to | | | | that often arises is when the person using your Social |
| the victim. A thief may get a new credit card using | | | | Security number files for unemployment. There was a |
| your name and social security number, many times | | | | case several years ago at a small company where an |
| using an alternate address so you never see any bills. | | | | employee, unknown to the employer, was an illegal |
| Once the criminal has this credit card they can run up | | | | immigrant and was using somebody elses Social |
| charges until the card is maxed out and never making | | | | Security number. This employee was put on a two |
| a payment will put the negative information on your | | | | week temporary layoff and filed for unemployment |
| credit history file. The thief can do a similar thing by | | | | with the false Social Security number that they had |
| opening up a bank account in your name. They will | | | | been using for years. By a matter of chance, the legal |
| write bad checks and secure loans with no intention of | | | | owner of the Social Security number filed for |
| paying anything back so this will also end up as a | | | | unemployment benefits the very same week which |
| negative mark on your credit history file. Both of these | | | | created a red flag for the Social Security |
| methods may be difficult to catch in the beginning | | | | administration department. |
| because if the thief is using an alternate address, you | | | | Possibly the most frightening type of fraud is where a |
| will stop receive billing statements from current | | | | person who has access to your person identity |
| accounts and never receive a statement on a new | | | | information gets arrested for some reason and |
| account. There are even some more technologically | | | | supplies the authorities with your information. If they do |
| advanced criminals that can, after gaining access to | | | | immediate jail time, the worst that will happen is that |
| your pin number, clone your ATM card and drain your | | | | you will develop a criminal history but if they are |
| bank account dry. | | | | required to return for a court trial at a later date, you |
| Another common activity of identity theft criminals is to | | | | may encounter some real problems. The fact that |
| commit utilities fraud with your personal information. A | | | | they are already a criminal who has stolen your |
| thief may open up new phone, electric, gas, or other | | | | identity means that they are unlikely to bother showing |
| utility service account using your information. This | | | | up for their court appointment and a warrant will be |
| scheme can extend into accounts for cell phones, | | | | issued in your name. Something as simple as a traffic |
| cable TV, sewer and water, and some criminals have | | | | violation can land you in jail, wondering just what is |
| been known to even rent apartments, all in your name, | | | | going on. |
| and like bank fraud, the smart criminals will have all bills | | | | After learning what an identity theft criminal can do |
| and statements sent to a different address so you will | | | | with your information, you should now realize that it is |
| not be aware of any suspicious activity until after the | | | | important to take necessary steps to protect yourself. |
| damage is already done. This crime be sometimes | | | | Instead of taking the chance of becoming a victim, you |
| have less negative impact on the victim because if the | | | | would be much better off to take some proactive |
| criminal is obtaining monthly services using your name, | | | | steps to eliminate or reduce your risk of identity theft. |
| they may very well wish to keep these services | | | | |