5 Common Forms Of Identity Theft
by Paul Wilcox
Everyone knows the financial results of identity theft. Credit card fraud, poor credit, bounced checks and unpaid debt are common place due to stolen identities. Finance is not the only thing that can be ruined. Here is a list of some other types of identity theft.
Other Kinds of Identity Theft
The first type is character identity theft. You may be a risk of being charged with a crime if your character identity has been stolen. You may even end up spending time in prison. Character identity usually happens when your driver’s license is stolen and the number used. Your driver’s license is your most important piece of identification after you Social Security number. If your character identity is stolen you may not be able to find work because of unfavorable background checks.
Theft of a Social Security number is one of the most serious types of identity theft. Anyone who has access to a persons Social Security number can gain access to virtually every other piece of identifying information about them. Almost all cases of identity theft were caused due to the victims Social Security number being compromised. Tax information, employment records and bank statements all depend on it for identification.
Medical benefits may also be compromised. Your Social Security number is also used as Medicare identification. You may be unable to pay for prescriptions and medical care without Medicare. Health records may end up containing false information and it may be hard to get health insurance. It becomes harder to get a lower insurance rate if they think you are unhealthy.
Traffic violations are another problem. Stealing a driver’s license is one of the most devious types of identity theft. With a license, the thief can obtain auto insurance using the number and harm the person’s credit rating by not making the payments. Any traffic violations that are obtained on the license number are recorded and your insurance rates will rise.
The most well-known of the types of identity theft is credit theft. This occurs when someone gains access to bank account information, ATM PINs, or credit cards. Using these bits of financial information, the thief applies for loans, conducts online transactions or empties the victims bank account. Victims often fail to realize they have suffered identity theft until bill collectors begin to call, demanding payment for products never bought or services never requested.
Knowing these types of identity theft is vital to safety; if simply to understand that it is not only finance at risk. Character, health and transportation can all be affected as much as finance.
About the Author:
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