When you hear the term identity theft, you may imagine a thief breaking into a bank and stealing money or even a car. However, this is far from what identity theft looks like. Identity theft rarely looks like a criminal break-in. Most victims who report it do not even realize that it happened until months later.
What does identity theft look like? It looks something like this. Two suspects walk into an empty room, one holding a briefcase. One suspect places a paper inside of the briefcase. Then the other suspect, who is standing a few feet away, takes out his own wallet and places his identification card inside of it. Without realizing what has just occurred, the victim leaves the room and calls her supervisor or the local police.
In order to stop a criminal identity theft case; you need to first know that it is taking place. You do not have to wait for the police report to see that it is happening. If you have a computer with internet access then you can look up your computer’s internet history and trace the IP address of the computer where the stolen information is being received. If you find that an IP address is being used then you should look up the name of the internet service provider to find out if your house is being targeted. This could be the clue that the criminal is using your private information for his own gain.
- Another way to catch a person who is committing ID theft is to use a fake ID. How does a fake ID work? It is quite easy.
- You can buy an ID from a traffic court store for $5.00.
- Next you can make a few photocopies of your identification and the photocopies can be used to replace your name on the ID and to put on your personal information.
- With a few weeks you will receive a criminal charge notice from the traffic court stating that your personal details have been illegally accessed.
If your identity thief is targeting; you then you need to contact your local police department or the assistant district attorney assigned to your case. They will be able to help you recover your stolen ID. If the criminal charges are going to be a misdemeanor then you may be able to plead bargain and get the charges dropped. The assistant district attorney will advise you of your rights and how to go about defending yourself in court.
If you have been a victim of ID theft then; you must take precautions to prevent being another victim. One of these precautions is to never answer to e-mail that ask for personal information such as your Social Security number. Also do not give out your phone number over the phone unless you completely trust the person on the other end. If you have received a traffic ticket then you should learn all you can about it so that you can take any action necessary to fight the fine. If you have received a divorce or a bankruptcy order then you should have a fraud alert or fraud detective investigator attached to your court appointed lawyer. The police report will show that the identity theft has been reported, and the fraud investigator will help you recover your stolen ID.
