Find out the many ways to define identity theft.

There are many ways to define identity theft. Some you know and some may surprise or shock you!

Though there are a variety of ways for criminals to steal your identity, the crime mainly occurs when someone obtains your personal data such as your name, your social security number, your credit card numbers, your financial institution account numbers (bank, brokerage firm, etc.), your username and password and, increasingly, your driver license number, and uses it to:

Obtain credit, money, goods, services, employment, or any other thing of value or benefit.

Avoid civil or criminal process or penalty.

Harm the reputation, property, person, or estate of the individual.

When we define identity theft, the fraud and deception typically includes applying for credit in your name, making unauthorized purchases on your accounts, obtaining bank loans, renting property (apartments, houses) and establishing utilities in your name.

While this is bad enough, the real damage to you comes when you learn that you've been a victim for months and didn't know it until you try to open a credit card account, buy a new car or even buy your first house. By then your credit is ruined.

What's more alarming are the increasing instances of criminals committing identity theft in order to commit even more serious crimes.

Defining identity theft goes beyond thieves stealing your information for their financial gain. Criminals are now trying to obtain your identity and use it to commit other crimes such as driving drunk, embezzlement, burglary and illegal drug sales. They even will appear in court, as you, on a variety of criminal charges then skip out on bail leaving you with a warrant for your arrest.

Read through the statistics page to see some actual numbers and find out why this problem won't go away any time soon.

Then check out the cases page for unbelievable examples of these brazen criminals.

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