Although there is no such thing as "
identity theft" (it is inherently not possible to steal an identity), this term is used by the mainstream media to refer to fraud, and financial fraud (especially credit card fraud) in particular. This term is relatively new, and is used to describe practice of stealing money or getting other benefits by pretending to be a different person.
Types
According to the non-profit Identity Theft Resource Center, identity theft is sub-divided into four categories:
- financial identity theft (using another's identity to obtain goods and services)
- criminal identity theft (posing as another when apprehended for a crime)
- identity cloning (using another's information to assume his or her identity in daily life)
- business/commercial identity theft (using another's business name to obtain credit)
Identity theft may be used to facilitate crimes including illegal immigration, terrorism, and espionage. Identity theft may also be a means of blackmail. There are also cases of identity cloning to attack payment systems, including medical insurance.
Some individuals may impersonate others for non-financial reasons - for instance, to receive praise or attention for the victim's achievements. This is sometimes referred to as identity theft in the media.
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RECENT IDENTITY THEFT in the News...
(Not Just Your Credit Card Info anymore.. now your Personal Reputation, Health Record Files, Social Security Files, Health/Auto/Life Insurance Files, Employment Applications, Rental Car Applications, Library CARDS.. everything)
Read the most recent cases below! You will be SHOCKED
- Identity Theft Victim Branded a Paedophile Still Suffering After Proven Innocent!
......... "Operation Ore was the result of an investigation conducted in the United States (Operation Avalanche), where a lot of credit card details being used to view child pornography were provided to the authorities. It eventually led to a lot of people, including Pete Townsend of the Who, being charged with viewing child pornography." ................
This clipping was taken from an online news source... Theives steeling credit cards to view child pornography.. unfortunately the card holder has to go through all kinds of hurdles after being accused of viewing the illegal material even though it wasn't them.
How would you feel, not knowing this took place, and having your Boss come to you after they have received a letter, or during your background check at a new job, or applying for a credit card, buying a new car..etc??
- Records of 32 high profile patients breached at UCLA hospital
LOS ANGELES - California first lady Maria Shriver is among 32 high-profile patients who had their confidential medical records breached at UCLA Medical Center.
Officials say the woman responsible is the same employee who breached actress Farrah Fawcett's records.
The hospital says it fired her in May 2007 after learning of the breaches.
The state Health and Human Services Agency is still determining what action to take against the facility.
The head of the UCLA Hospital System, Dr. David Feinberberg, apologized and called the woman responsible a rogue employee.
- Consumer Alert: Credit Card Numbers Stolen
(This was so huge, it is featured on the "Washington State Department of Financial Institutions Website)
40 MILLION Credit Card Numbers Stolen.... Very good chance yours was one of them..
What happened?
Hackers infiltrated the computers of CardSystems Solutions – a credit card processing center for MasterCard International. As many as 40 million credit card numbers may have been stolen, including American Express, MasterCard, Visa, Discover and other cards.
- The theft of an estimated 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers from Grocery Store Computer System
In a letter cited by The Boston Globe from Hannaford Bros. to Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley and the state's Office of Consumer Affairs and Business Regulation, the company said that the data breach it disclosed on March 17 2008 involved malicious software that was found on computer servers at about 300 of the company's stores.
The software reportedly intercepted credit card data during checkout and sent captured information overseas, according to the letter.
Carol Eleazer, VP of marketing for Hannaford Bros., confirmed that a letter had been sent to the Massachusetts attorney general and that the facts reported were essentially accurate. She noted that the fix deployed involved software, and not the replacement of hardware. "It was a software problem and it took a software fix," she said.
Eleazer had no further information to provide about the incident, citing ongoing law enforcement and internal forensic investigations.
The breach occurred between Dec. 7 and March 10. Hannaford Bros. said it detected the breach on Feb. 27.
Coakley last month urged consumers who made a purchase at Hannaford stores during this period to watch out for unauthorized use of their credit or debit card numbers and to take steps to safeguard their personal information.
While Hannaford has acknowledged that up to 4.2 million credit and debit card numbers were compromised, it said there's no evidence to indicate that cardholder names and addresses were stolen. The company has said it continues to investigate the incident. The Secret Service is conducting its own investigation. .............................
Identity Theft is a rapidly growing thing... Its not a matter of how, but when..
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