| Many people do not realize that there are | | | | provide your information when questioned by law |
| different types of identity theft. There are indeed | | | | enforcement. Repercussions can range from |
| several ways in which the identity thief can take | | | | undeserved tickets to outstanding arrest warrants |
| advantage of your personal information, while | | | | and even temporary imprisonment. Victims can |
| leaving you to deal with the repercussions. Here's | | | | also be fired from their jobs due to an |
| what you need to know about the 5 types of | | | | "undisclosed conviction". |
| identity theft. | | | | An identity thief can also use your identity to |
| The type of identity theft you are probably most | | | | begin a "new life". Basically, the thief openly lives |
| familiar with is Financial Identity Theft. It is when | | | | and works as you. This type of identity theft is |
| the thief uses your information to set up financial | | | | called Character Identity Theft or Identity Cloning. |
| accounts in your name without your permission or | | | | Using your name, the thief can collect tax refunds |
| knowledge. The thief may obtain credit cards, | | | | and receive your benefits, obtain professional |
| loans, merchandise, homes, vehicles, vacations and | | | | licenses, be married, have children or file for |
| more, all in your name. Financial identity theft can | | | | bankruptcy. The thieves are usually criminals, |
| definitely cost you thousands of dollars in debt, | | | | fugitives, illegal aliens, or people with poor work or |
| not to mention the painstaking process of clearing | | | | financial history. |
| your name and credit. | | | | Identity theft can not only be devastating to |
| Another type of identity theft is Medical Identity | | | | individuals but to businesses as well especially in |
| Theft wherein the thief uses your information to | | | | cases wherein the business' credit and the |
| obtain health and other medical benefits and | | | | owner's credit are one in the same. With |
| services. Being a victim of medical identity theft | | | | Commercial Identity Theft wherein criminals get |
| can result to fraudulent billing and having | | | | credit by charging it to another business' name, |
| erroneous medical files. Your ability to get a health | | | | business operations may be severely affected |
| and life insurance may also be affected. Imagine | | | | due to a loan being denied or called early or if |
| the nightmare of having an actual medical | | | | interest rates on key credit accounts are |
| emergency and having your insurance company | | | | increased due to a universal default cause. |
| refusing to cover the bills as records show you've | | | | Truly, an awareness of these different types of |
| already had the procedure done or you've | | | | identity theft is helpful in protecting ourselves |
| depleted your insurance coverage. | | | | from becoming a victim of the crime. Given that |
| An identity thief can not only leave you with tons | | | | identity theft has now become more common, |
| of debt, but leave you with a criminal record as | | | | it's definitely wise to know what we are up |
| well. With Criminal Identity Theft, the thieves use | | | | against in order to take the appropriate |
| your information to obtain employment, to | | | | preventive measures. |
| commit or distance themselves from crimes, or | | | | |