The Six Known Faces of Identity Theft

May 3rd, 2009 by Certified Identity Theft Advisor

From all the ads on TV, most people associate identity theft with credit cards, or financial issues.

Statistics tell a different story. Even when we add all credit card and financial fraud together, it is less than 50% of the total identity theft picture.

To date, there are now 6 distinct faces to Identity theft, and they are:

Financial ID Theft
Social Security ID Theft
Drivers License ID Theft
Medical ID Theft
Criminal ID Theft
Synthetic ID Theft

Some people are only affected by one form of identity theft, where others have fallen prey to all six. So let’s explore each face, or form of identity theft individually.

Financial Identity Theft

Financial ID Theft is the best known form in large part due to TV comercials. Financial id theft includes any type of credit card fraud, whether it is stealing your current credit card information, or opening new cards in your name.

It also includes any type of financial fraud, including hijacking your checking account, opening utilities in your name, renting in your name, obtaining new loans, or any other type of financial fraud.

Social Security Identity Theft

This is a lesser known form of ID theft. With your Social Security number, illegal alians can obtain employment. With your social security number, thieves can get a duplicate drivers license in your name. Your Social Security number opens doors for all sorts of covert activity, both financial and non-financial.

Drivers License Identity Theft

How does drivers license ID theft work? The new drivers license includes your name and address, the thief’s picture, and physical description.

What are the ramifications?

Your drivers license and social security number are your two major proofs of identification. Even if a thief does not have your ss#, with a forged drivers license, your name is attached to whatever they do. Whatever criminal activities they are involved in are easily traced back to you.

Medical Identity Theft

Medical ID Theft is a fast rising star. Almost unheard of 4 years ago, it is gaining in popularity, and in essence, can be the scariest, and most threatening form of id theft.

How it works - somebody who cannot afford insurance, or an expensive medical procedure checks into the hospital using your name and your insurance information. You not only get billed, but your medical records get adulterated with the thief’s current medical records and procedures that are being billed to you.

This creates a twofold problem. First, with the strict HIPAA laws, since you can’t prove you are “you”, your access to your medical records is denied. Months down the road, when you have finally worked out the identity issues, you still cannot correct your medical records.

What does this mean for you if you are in an accident, and brought unconscious to the ER? You may likely be given the wrong treatment, based on erroneous medical records.

Criminal Identity Theft

Let’s face it. People who steal identities are criminals. Many are engaged in other types of criminal activities, such as; peddling and/or using drugs, prostitution, child pornography, etc.

Their drivers license has your name and address on it. They get arrested, and don’t show up for court. What do you do when the police come calling at your door with a warrant for your arrest?

Or worse, what if you are pulled over for a routine traffic check, and unbeknown to you, a warrant for your arrest shows up? And what if your kids are in the car with you? This is not make believe science fictio . This senario is happening to more and more honest citizens, and they are being arrested on the spot, and hauled off to the local jail.

Synthetic Identity Theft

Synthetic ID theft is the newest kid on the block. It is literally a concocted identity - a randomly selected SS#, with bits and pieces of multiple identities merged into one new identity.

Knowledge is Power

This is scary information. This scary information is also your lifeline to hope and proper identity theft protection, and that is the purpose of everything you read on this blog.