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Criminals find several different ways to rob other people. For example, a thief might steal a car or cash and other items someone has on their person. They could break into a house and steal things as well. There is another way that criminals now steal that has a unique aspect to it.

That dimension is when an individual is involved in criminal identity theft. Criminal identity theft is that situation when a thief actually steals another’s identity. In order to protect against criminal identity theft it is important to know what it is, ways that thieves can accomplish this theft and steps an individual can take to protect themselves from this devastating criminal activity.

What is Criminal Identity Theft?

Criminal identity theft is the action of a criminal assuming a different person’s identity so that they may act as if they were them. The individuals who have their identities stolen and thereby become victims of criminal identity theft have to face serious consequences.

Such consequences include a negative effect on finances, credit ratings, legal matters, employment opportunities, and the like. Unfortunately, anything and everything that a criminal does while using a stolen identity will ultimately affect the victim, be it negative or positive.

To make matters worse, unless the thief involved does something illegal beyond simply assuming someone else’s identity, criminal identity theft is not usually noticed by the victim. Since criminals could be using credit cards and taking part in other financial activities, their actions can bring negative results to the clueless victim if and when the criminal uses the stolen identity and later defaults on financial agreements that were made.

The worst case scenario is if any of these negative events transpire the extensive involvement required for the person with the true identity to clear their good name is a legal nightmare.

Protective Steps

To minimize the possibilities of criminal identity theft there are a number of steps that an individual should take. First of all, it is imperative that the social security card or social security number never be carried with an individual.

Besides that, report any loss of a wallet or purse that contains identification of any sort to law enforcement officials. Alert the Department of Motor Vehicles in your area if your driver’s license is lost.

Also, it would be wise to check your credit report at least every year, if not more often. You can also sign up for a fraud alert service if you are concerned that losing sensitive information could make you vulnerable to criminal identity theft. Such services tell you immediately when your identity is used to open new credit accounts or is otherwise involved in financial activities.