Free Essays on Identity Theft

Identity Theft In today’s society, there is a white-collar crime that has greatly risen in popularity among criminals. This crime is identity theft. Hundreds of thousands of people have their identities stolen each year. Identity theft is when these criminals obtain and use consumers personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, insurance information, and social security numbers to purchase goods or services fraudulently. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 1.1 million people were the victim of identity theft. With this number, it is very evident that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country. This paper will attempt to more thoroughly define identity theft. It will give examples of identity theft by examining the stories of Rosalie Pugliese and Mari Frank. It will show ways in which this very easily committed crime can be avoided, and in the extreme case that a person is a victim of identity fraud, to show the steps one can take to get their lives back on track. According to identityguard.com, identity theft is defined as, â€Å"when someone uses your name or personal information to open a credit account, take out a loan, or make a major purchase. And if they can do it once, they can do it repeatedly, using each new account as a reference for the next one. The result is that identity thieves can run up thousands of dollars worth of charges or obligations all in your name.† In our current society, since there have been a great deal of technological advances made, it is easier than ever for a common criminal to steal a social security number, a bank account number, or any other piece of information which could help a criminal gain access to ones personal finances. Identity thieves can retrieve vital information in many different ways. They can look through your trash at home or at work and retrieve a discarded bill, a piece of mail, or a credit application. ... Free Essays on Identity Theft Free Essays on Identity Theft The effects of the crime of identity theft are numerous. As our society continues to develop and our populations continue to explode, crime is a major concern. Our society is bombarded daily with shocking crime statistics that elude to the destruction of our morality; however, most law-abiding citizens feel reasonably safe from becoming a victim. Only in the last few years have we begun to recognize that crime can affect us personally, even if not physically. Originally, identity theft was considered a victimless crime since everything occurred on paper. However, â€Å"since September 11th, the entire country has been made aware of the impact that identity theft has on national security† (Primary Payment website). The tragedy of that day has increased our national skepticism and paranoia of others. Another effect of this rampant crime has been the development of expensive services offered by companies to help consumers protect themselves. â€Å"While some services are offered for free by financial institutions, others cost well over $100 a year† (Bergstein, p.B2). This new industry capitalizes on our fear. Their efforts include things such as monitoring credit reports, email alerts, professional help from identity theft experts, and insurance. The â€Å"services are marketed as salves for a growing problem† and create huge profit margins for these businesses (Bergstein p.B2). For example, the personal solutions unit at Equifax brought in $70 million in revenue in 2003 and is expected to contribute more than $100 million in 2004 (Bergstein p.B2). Consumer advocates â€Å"complain that identity theft protection services are being offered by companies that could do more to stop the problem in the first place† (Bergstein p.B2). A third effect resulting from this new crime has been the new legislation created to help protect victims and punish offenders. Our politicians have been forced to spend countless tax-dollars to create b... Free Essays on Identity Theft The Identity Thieves website last updated 2/19/01, told the story of Scott Clinton Gilbert, or at least someone who was believe to be â€Å"Robert Hartle†. As â€Å"Robert†, Scott was able to produce debts of more than $110,000, including bills for three pick up trucks, two motorcycles and a doublewide mobile home. If anyone was to question Scott on his identity of Robert Hartle he was more than prepared with a drivers license, Social Security card, and even a birth certificate. For quite some time Scott left the real â€Å"Robert Hartle† in a bit of a financial mess. Fortunately Scott’s â€Å"fraud spree† ended, leaving the true Robert free of all debts and credit charges. â€Å"But he that filches from me my good name/Robs me of that which not enriches him/And makes me poor indeed†- Shakespeare, Othello act iii, Sc. 3. Shakespeare was correct indeed, long before the time of the cashless society. Now it seems that almost everyone (especially here in the United States of America) has a credit card, Mac card, debit card, gift cards, I.D. cards, and a checking account with book and card. With all these plastic conviences, identity theft has become a common practice among thieves. â€Å"Stealing someone’s identity†, as the Identity Thieves website states, â€Å"to buy everything from cars to toys and leaving the real person’s credit rating in ruin may be the perfect crime because there is little that can be done to prosecute it†. This new identity crisis brings about a few serious questions; who owns who in this society, are we all really only what’s on a piece of plastic or paper, and what steps can we take t o assure this will not happen to us? First lets explore the thought or theory of â€Å" who owns who in this society†. Years ago we know that slavery was outlawed in the U.S.A., yet from time to time we see examples of it still going strong. In a vulgar sense we see the â€Å"pimp and hooker† as a form of slavery and o... Free Essays on Identity Theft Identity Theft In today’s society, there is a white-collar crime that has greatly risen in popularity among criminals. This crime is identity theft. Hundreds of thousands of people have their identities stolen each year. Identity theft is when these criminals obtain and use consumers personal information such as credit card numbers, bank account numbers, insurance information, and social security numbers to purchase goods or services fraudulently. According to the Federal Trade Commission, over 1.1 million people were the victim of identity theft. With this number, it is very evident that identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in our country. This paper will attempt to more thoroughly define identity theft. It will give examples of identity theft by examining the stories of Rosalie Pugliese and Mari Frank. It will show ways in which this very easily committed crime can be avoided, and in the extreme case that a person is a victim of identity fraud, to show the steps one can take to get their lives back on track. According to identityguard.com, identity theft is defined as, â€Å"when someone uses your name or personal information to open a credit account, take out a loan, or make a major purchase. And if they can do it once, they can do it repeatedly, using each new account as a reference for the next one. The result is that identity thieves can run up thousands of dollars worth of charges or obligations all in your name.† In our current society, since there have been a great deal of technological advances made, it is easier than ever for a common criminal to steal a social security number, a bank account number, or any other piece of information which could help a criminal gain access to ones personal finances. Identity thieves can retrieve vital information in many different ways. They can look through your trash at home or at work and retrieve a discarded bill, a piece of mail, or a credit application. ...