| Introduction: what is Identity Theft | | | | - Eavesdropping on public transactions to obtain |
| The term Identity theft is used to refer to fraud that | | | | personal data. Such practice is commonly known as |
| involves someone pretending to be someone else in | | | | shoulder surfing. |
| order to steal money or to get other benefits. The | | | | - Stealing personal information from computers and |
| term however is misapplied as it is not possible to steal | | | | computer databases (Trojan horses, hacking and zero |
| an identity but only to use it. The person whose identity | | | | day attacks) |
| has been stolen can suffer from various | | | | - Data breach that results in the public (i.e. posted on |
| consequences when he or she is held responsible for | | | | the internet) or easily obtainable (i.e. printed on a mailing |
| the perpetrator’s actions. In many countries, there | | | | label) display of sensitive information such as credit |
| are specific laws regarding identity theft which make it | | | | card numbers, etc. |
| a crime to use another person’s identity for | | | | - Advertising bogus job offers (either full time or work |
| personal gain. | | | | from home based) to which the victims will reply with |
| The term identity theft is somewhat different from that | | | | their full name, address, curriculum vitae, telephone |
| of identity fraud. However, the terms are often used | | | | numbers and banking details. |
| interchangeably. Identity fraud is the consequence of | | | | - Infiltration of organizations that store large amounts of |
| identity theft. For instance, someone may steal or | | | | personal information. |
| appropriate someone’s identifying information | | | | - Impersonating a trusted company/ institution/ |
| without actually committing identity fraud. The best | | | | organization in an electronic communication to promote |
| example may be said to be when any data breach | | | | revealing of personal information which is commonly |
| occurs. There has been very little evidence to link | | | | known as phishing. |
| identity fraud to data breach. A study by Carnegie | | | | - Obtaining castings of fingers for falsifying fingerprint |
| Mellon University concluded that the probability of | | | | identification. |
| becoming a victim to identity theft as a result of data | | | | - Browsing social network sites such as MySpace, |
| breach is around 2% only. | | | | Facebook, Bebo etc. online for personal details that |
| Identity theft which is also known as ID theft is a crime | | | | have been posted by users. |
| in which criminals or offenders obtain key pieces of | | | | - Changing the victim’s address thereby diverting |
| personal information such as social security or | | | | billing statements to another location to either get |
| driver’s license numbers or any such other similar | | | | current legitimate account information or to delay |
| relevant data of someone else in order to pose as | | | | discovery of fraudulent accounts. |
| that person. Such data may be used to obtain credit, | | | | - Using false pretenses to trick a business (usually |
| merchandise and services using the victim’s name. | | | | through a customer service representative) into |
| Identity theft can also be used by the thief to obtain | | | | disclosing customer information. This practice is known |
| false credentials for immigration or other applications. | | | | as pretexting. |
| One of the biggest problems with identity theft is that | | | | - Stealing checks to acquire banking information, |
| very often the crimes committed by the identity theft | | | | including account numbers and bank routing numbers. |
| expert are often attributed to the victim and the | | | | The above are a few of the many ways in which an |
| burden of proof of innocence falls upon the victim that | | | | identity thief may obtain sensitive information relating to |
| he was not responsible for whatever acts he may | | | | the victims. |
| have been accused of. | | | | Identity theft & identity fraud |
| In this article, we will get to know about the various | | | | As mentioned earlier, identity theft and identity fraud |
| aspects of this evil known as Identity theft, how it is | | | | are different from each other but nowadays, these |
| done and how one may protect oneself from | | | | two terms are interchangeably used to refer to identity |
| becoming a victim of such crime. | | | | theft. Identity fraud involves impersonating the victim |
| Types of Identity Theft | | | | for economic gain, whereas identity theft involves |
| Identity theft can enter into many areas of our lives | | | | stealing the victim’s credentials used for such |
| and involves any instance where a person uses | | | | impersonation. In the electronic realm, the victim’s |
| someone else’s identification documents or other | | | | identity information is surreptitiously recorded during |
| identifiers in order to impersonate that person for | | | | online transactions by logging their keystrokes by |
| whatever reason. Identity theft may be broadly divided | | | | seducing them into cons like phishing. The typical use |
| into two types namely; Financial Fraud and Criminal | | | | of stolen identity credentials is to carry out online |
| activities. | | | | purchases that are billed to the victim and stolen |
| Financial Fraud: This type of identity theft includes bank | | | | identity information to open fraudulent bank accounts |
| fraud, credit card fraud, computer and | | | | for obtaining loans on the victim’s name. |
| telecommunications fraud, social program fraud, tax | | | | Position in India |
| refund fraud and several more. Financial fraud may | | | | The Indian legislature like those of other countries has |
| further be classified as: | | | | recognized the threat Identity theft poses to the social |
| - Business/ commercial identity theft wherein the | | | | and economic life of the country and in the year 2000, |
| offender uses the victim’s business name in order | | | | passed the legislation under the Information |
| to obtain credit or other similar benefits. | | | | Technology Act 2000, Chapter IX. |
| - Financial identity theft wherein the offender uses the | | | | Sec 43(b) of the aforementioned act provides that |
| victim’s identity to obtain goods and services. | | | | “if any person without the permission of the owner |
| - Identity cloning and concealment where the offender | | | | or any other person who is in charge of a computer, |
| uses the victim’s information to assume his or her | | | | computer system or computer network, |
| identity in daily life and thus, deceiving others by | | | | (b) downloads, copies or extracts any data base or |
| impersonating himself as the victim. This may be done | | | | information from such computer, computer system or |
| by a person in order to avoid arrest for crimes, by a | | | | computer network including information or data held or |
| person who is working illegally in foreign countries or by | | | | stored in any removable storage medium; |
| a person who is hiding from creditors or other | | | | He shall be liable to pay damages by way of |
| individuals. | | | | compensation not exceeding one crore rupees to the |
| - Medical identity theft is where another’s | | | | person so affected.” |
| information is used to obtain medical care or drugs. | | | | Ways to prevent identity theft |
| Such offence occurs when someone uses a | | | | There is no hard and fast rule which guarantees that |
| person’s name and sometimes other parts of their | | | | one shall never fall victim to some form of identity |
| identity such as insurance information, without the | | | | theft but one may take the following simple steps to |
| victim’s knowledge or consent to obtain medical | | | | protect oneself: |
| services or goods. Medical identity theft frequently | | | | - One should destroy private records and statements |
| results in erroneous entries being put into existing | | | | and other documents that contain financial information. |
| medical records, and can involve the creation of | | | | - One may secure his mailbox by emptying it quickly, |
| fictitious medical records in the victim’s name. | | | | locking it or getting a P.O. box so that the criminals |
| Criminal activities: It is also known as criminal identity | | | | don’t have a chance to snatch sensitive |
| theft wherein the offender poses as the victim when | | | | information. Furthermore, one must never mail outgoing |
| he is apprehended for a crime. Identity theft may be | | | | bill payments and checks from home. |
| used to facilitate crimes including illegal immigration, | | | | - One must safeguard his/her identification cards such |
| terrorism and espionage. In some cases, the criminal | | | | as social security number card, license, health insurance |
| would obtain state issued ID using stolen documents or | | | | cards, etc. |
| personal information belonging to another person or | | | | - One must not leave a paper trail, i.e. ATM, credit card |
| they might simply use a fake ID. When the criminal is | | | | or gas station receipts behind. |
| arrested for a crime, he presents the fake ID to the | | | | - Whenever anyone contacts you asking for private |
| authorities, who place charges under the identity theft | | | | identity or financial information, one must first confirm |
| victim’s name and release the criminal. When the | | | | as to who is on the other end of the line, which |
| criminal does not appear for the court hearing, a | | | | company does he represent and the reason for the |
| warrant would be issued in the name of the victim. | | | | call. |
| The victim might learn of the incident if the state | | | | - One must be careful at ATMs and while using phone |
| suspends their own driving license, or through a | | | | cards. Shoulder surfers can get their account and PIN |
| background check performed for employment or | | | | numbers. |
| other purposes, or in rare cases, could be arrested | | | | - Never give personal information of any kind over the |
| when stopped for a minor traffic violation. | | | | telephone or online unless you initiate the contact. |
| Furthermore, some people may impersonate others | | | | Furthermore, never give out any of your personal |
| for non- financial reasons such as to receive praise or | | | | information to telemarketers. |
| attention for the victim’s achievements. This is | | | | Conclusion |
| sometimes referred to as identity theft in the media. | | | | Identity theft is an evil which has grown on a large |
| Sometimes, the identity thieves hack into databases to | | | | scale with the advancement of technology and |
| steal personal information. However this type of | | | | dealings in day to day life. The irony is that though |
| thievery is much rarer then the use of old fashioned | | | | these technological advancements have contributed to |
| methods such as scouring the garbage for old receipts | | | | simplify our lives (for instance, one does not have to |
| or looking over someone’s shoulder while they are | | | | stand in long ques just to pay their telephone bills which |
| doing a financial transaction. Therefore, one must be | | | | can be easily done by the click of a button on the |
| wary of such criminals anywhere where filling out a | | | | internet) but at the same time it has made our lives |
| long application could provide a thief with enough | | | | much more complicated by giving rise to new forms of |
| information to inspire an identity theft. | | | | crimes such as identity theft along with many more for |
| Ways of obtaining personal information | | | | which we have to be cautitious when dealing with |
| In most cases, a criminal needs to obtain personally | | | | sensitive information such as passwords and other |
| identifiable information or documents about an individual | | | | data which might pose a threat to our security and |
| in order to impersonate them. They may succeed in | | | | integrity as well as the security of the country as a |
| doing so in the following ways: | | | | whole. Though many countries have passed various |
| - Stealing mail or rummaging through rubbish containing | | | | legislation to neutralize this menace but in the present |
| personal information. This practice is also known as | | | | scenario, the crimes relating to identity theft is still |
| dumpster driving. | | | | booming with little effect of these legislations on them. |
| - Retrieving information from redundant equipment like | | | | Thus the best way to check this problem depends |
| computer servers that have been disposed off | | | | upon the people who might be the probable targets of |
| carelessly. | | | | these identity thieves and this includes everyone who |
| - Researching about victim in government registers, | | | | is a part of the population of the country and abroad. |
| internet search engines or public records search | | | | They must be really careful while disclosing sensitive |
| services. | | | | data on the net, ATMs, telephone or any other place |
| - Stealing payment or identification cards, either by pick | | | | where someone might be able to take advantage of |
| pocketing or surreptitiously by skimming through a | | | | the data disclosed by you for their own benefits. In this |
| compromised card reader. | | | | way will be able to deter such criminals from |
| - Remotely reading information from an RFID (radio | | | | committing such crimes and in the long run, protect |
| frequency identification) chip on a smart cart, RFID- | | | | ourselves from becoming the victims of these |
| enabled credit card or passport. | | | | criminals. |