...Identity Theft David Arcila Professor Jim Manning White Collar Crime 08/14/13 “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. “Once in a time before identity theft was a federal crime, there was a particular case where a convicted felon stole more than $100,000 of credit card debt, motorcycles, federal home loans, houses, and handguns in the victim’s name.” (Knox, Jeffrey) “He also called his victim to taunt him and let him know that he could do this as long as he wanted to because identity theft was not a federal offense yet.” (Knox, Jeffrey) “Both the victim and his wife spent more than four years and more than $15,000 trying to repair their reputation and credit.” (Knox, Jeffrey) “As for the criminal, the offender served a small prison sentence for trying to buy the firearm but other than that made no repayments to the couple for the damage he caused.” (Knox, Jeffrey) “This was one of the many cases that made Congress decide to implement a new federal law in 1998 against identity theft.” (Knox, Jeffrey) Identity theft is a type of crime where someone’s identity is stolen in order to pretend to be the victim’s identity. “Many times the offender obtains valuable resources such as credit card and debit card information or social security numbers in order to gain economic through deception or fraud...
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...IDENTITY THEFT PENALTY ENHANCEMENT ACT Name Course School Date Introduction The Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act is an amendment to Title 18 of the United States Code. The Act was brought in to define and establish penalties for aggravated identity theft. It is also an enhancement of the definitions of identity theft found in the provisions of Title 18 (Congress.gov, 2004) (Finklea, 2014). Identity theft is an issue that has affected the nation for many years. Advances in technology have made it possible for many people to have access to the tools and resources needed to forge documents which are a critical part of identity theft. The most common form of identity theft is associated with credit card fraud. Credit card fraud on the internet has substantially increased due to the opportunities present in the Internet environment. However, this represents some of the simplest forms of identity fraud. Such is the case since it is very easy to discover credit card fraud by both the credit card company and the victim as well. However, according to the Federal Trade Commission (2002), other forms of identity theft are more severe since they take a longer time to materialize (Federal Trade Commission, 2002) This view is also by Finklea (2014) in his article where he points out the issues and trends of identity theft. The Identity Theft Penalty Enhancement Act comes in the context of increased awareness of the difficulties posed by emergent technologies. So far, identity...
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...Identity Theft Introduction Today, the United States is facing an ever-growing number of identity theft crimes. According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), nearly 10 million Americans suffered the consequences of this crime in 2004, and the commission received more than 5,000 telephone calls per week related to identity theft in 2005. According to the FTC(2006) most victims of identity theft are quite unaware of how their personal information was obtained. Identity theft happens when someone steals your personal information and uses it without your permission. It’s a serious crime that can wreak havoc with your finances, credit history, and reputation and can take time, money, and patience to resolve. (Identity Theft/ Consumer Information). The sharing of information on transaction identities is necessary for operation of these payment systems. However, this information sharing can facilitate fraud in the form of identity theft. Information sharing can also create conflicts of interest that may not be easily resolved through the operation of the marketplace. Thoughtful public policy should be aimed at resolving these conflicts. The ultimate goal of regulation should not be absolute privacy of consumers or complete suppression of identity theft, but instead the promotion of efficient confidentiality of personal information . Too much white space. What is Identity Theft? Identity theft is a crime when someone without permission uses of another person’s...
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...phone and explained that he never purchased anything from them, and she asked if he was who he said was, he said yes. The lady commanded him to pay the money as soon as possible or she would involve the police. Peter realized that he may have identity theft, and with that thought he never went back to sleep. "Identity theft occurs when an unauthorized person obtains another's name and a piece of critical identifying information about that person such as a credit card or bank account number, social security number or driver's license number. With these two pieces of information, someone can open credit card accounts in someone else's name and go on spending sprees for personal items or for things that can easily be sold. When bills are not paid, the delinquent account shows up on that person's credit report. The identity thief can change the mailing address on the victim's credit card account thus delaying the discovery of the theft. The imposter then runs up big bills on the victim's account, and since they are being sent to the new address, one would have no way of knowing any of this was going on” ( Poster, 119). Identity theft is one of the biggest and most costly crimes committed today. Every second of the day someone’s identity is stolen. This often results in a person losing almost everything including their most valuable asset, their name. However, who pays for all of the transactions and purchases? Who is the actual victim? What...
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...Technology help Criminals Commit Identity Theft? Identity theft is becoming one of the fastest growing criminal offenses in the United States. Identity theft is a form of stealing someone's identity in which someone pretends to be someone else by assuming that person's identity, typically in order to access resources or obtain credit and other benefits in that person's name (Kiesbye). It is important for one to know that identity theft is not just a financial crime. It is a serious crime that can cause havoc on finances, credit history, and reputation. Identity theft can go unnoticed and can take time, money, and patience to resolve. Technology is constantly evolving making identity theft an easier crime to commit (Kiesbye). There are several ways in which technology plays a major role in assisting criminals commit identity theft (Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News). Some ways include computer hacking, telephone bugging, and old-fashioned stealing. Identity theft has become a very serious business for criminals (Knight Ridder/Tribune Business News). . Identity theft has been around for a number of years. The term identity theft was coined in 1964 however it does not mean to steal an identity but rather to impersonate another individual to commit fraud or deception (Vacca). Identity theft is not easily detectable by the individuals. Someone can steal or misappropriate personal information without the individual knowing then commit identity theft using the stolen information...
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...head: IDENTITY THEFT: IN MORE WAYS THAN ONE Identity Theft: In More Ways than One Justin S. Evangelist CMRJ 306 D002 Criminal Investigation American Military University Identity Theft: In More Ways than One We have all watched the news; we have all heard the stories. It’s on commercials and television shows. Identity theft is sweeping across the nation and it something we should all take very seriously. Identity theft is a form of fraud or taking away someone else’s identity in order to gain something, usually financial means (Swanson, Chamelin, Territo & Taylor, 2009). The Federal Trade Commission estimates that as many as nine million Americans have their identity stole each year, resulting in over 50 billion dollars of financial loss (Mercuri, 2006). There are several different forms of identity fraud, several which not everyone has heard of. The three main types of identity theft consist of criminal identity theft, medical identity theft and child identity theft. Criminal identity theft occurs when a victim’s name, address, and other personal details are given to law enforcement officials during the commission of a crime. The victim is then mistakenly arrested (Mercuri, 2006). Often times, the imposter has obtained some sort of tangible, personal information from the victim, usually a driver’s license. Once the name of an innocent identity theft victim is assigned to the criminal act of the true perpetrator, it can be very difficult for the identity theft...
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...Identity Theft Abstract This research paper will examine what is known about identity theft. The paper begins with defining the crime and its background, followed by a review of the patterns and incidences of identity theft. This review will include data on the extent and costs of this crime. Discussion will then focus on victims and perpetrators of identity theft. Common techniques used by identity thieves will be explored along with tips to protect consumers and businesses from having their identities stolen or data breached. Legislation in place to prevent and prosecute identity theft will be discussed. How to report identity theft is also explained. Defining Identity Theft The U.S. Department of Justice defines identity theft, also called identity fraud, as “all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person’s personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain” (U.S. Department of Justice, 2015). Identity thieves use personal data such as Social Security numbers, bank account or credit card numbers to personally profit at the victim’s expense. These breaches allow thieves to take funds out of bank accounts or in the worst cases, take over a victim’s identity completely, running up huge debts and committing crimes using the victim’s name. Victims not only suffer the out-of-pocket financial losses, but they may have to rebuild their reputation in the community due...
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...Ayoub Elmahi NT1110 Research Paper IDentity Theft Ms. Janine Aleong Thursdays 9AM Research Project: IDentity Theft History Much before the internet technology had gained popularity, identity theft was common in form of dumpster diving and going through your trash in case you have thrown away any personal identifying information such as bills or documents. But before that, identity theft was known as a white collar crime and it was pretty dangerous. This means that if the id thieves wanted to steal your identity they would just kill you for it and just assume you identity and walk away. Back in those days the thieves also used phone scams to gather information about you. For example, the identity thief would just call someone and say they had won a huge prize and that they needed their personal information such as social security number and date of birth to verify their identity. This information was quite sufficient for them to commit crimes and leave you under debts. However with the rise of the internet technology, identity theft has become a more common crime and even easier and safe to perform without being caught. The quick growth of id theft History of identity theft had suddenly taken a sharp turn at about the time free exchange of personal and financial information become common by the use of computer and electronic devices. Identity theft is today considered to be one of the fastest growing crimes throughout the world. This rapid growth is mainly because of...
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...How Identity Theft Affect the Culture of our Society Sections I, II, III and IV Rodrekus Baskin DeVry University How Identity Fraud and Theft Impact the Culture of Our Society Section I Identity theft affects millions of Americans every day. Scam artists and hackers lay in wait for an unsuspecting person to get caught up their scheme through ignorance or naivety so they can take full advantage of their personal information to do as they desire with it. Problem is, it infiltrates and depreciates the integral infrastructure of our society which creates a cultural lapse through the declination of economic and cultural growth and double jeopardizes an already unstable system to the brink of its destruction. To understand how identity theft works or happens, one need to know and understand what identity theft is, the different forms of identity theft, cyber security and the impact on its victims, the methods used by identity thieves to obtain identifying information about their victims, and preventive solutions. How Identity Theft Affect the Culture of Our Society A single mother looking forward to advancing her financial situation comes across what appears to be the opportunity she has been waiting for. A real estate agent has provided her with the fortune of owning her own home and without skepticism of any impending dangers or foul play, even though he displayed what appeared to be proper credentials, she relinquished all of her personal data...
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...IDENTITY THEFT Fraud- intentional deception made for personal gain or to damage another individual. Fraud is a crime and a civil law violation. (1) Fraud affects individuals, businesses and the economy as a whole. Every year millions of dollars are lost due to activities of scammers using countless illegal techniques to achieve their goals. As hard as people work to make money and as difficult as it is to save it, the last thing they want to do is lose any of it through fraud. Financial fraud is the number one consumer complaint, and the biggest danger all the people face nowadays is identity theft, one of the most pervasive and insidious crimes. Identity theft occurs when someone assumes some or all of your identity to engage in criminal behavior. The first case of identity theft is described in the Bible when Jacob covered his hands and neck with goat skin in order to trick his father into giving him a blessing of a firstborn, in order to acquire all the property and livestock his father owned. In early American history, identity theft was focused on voters’ registration and ballot stuffing. Then in1930’s, brought 21’st amendment to the United States Constitution brought the new law that repealed prohibition. Alcohol was legal again, but drinking age was determined by individual state, until 1984 when US Congress passed the National Minimum Drinking Age Act. Between these times worst crime committed was underage drinking using fake ID. Usage of assumed name and identification...
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...Aug 26, 2013 Research Paper: Identity Theft Identity theft, also known as ID theft is a crime in which a criminal obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver's license numbers, in order to pretend to be someone else. The information can be used to obtain credit, merchandise, and services using the victims’ name. Identity theft can also provide a thief with false credentials for immigration or other applications. One of the biggest problems with identity theft is that very often the crimes committed by the identity theft expert are often credited to the victim. A thief could take out a mortgage in your name or commit a crime and pretend to be you when caught. Thieves can even use your personal information to apply for a job or use your medical insurance. Identity theft has become one of the world’s leading crimes in the world. Identity theft drastically increased in the year 2000 by nearly 52%, occurring every half second all across the world. There are two primary types of identity theft: ~Account takeover ~True name theft Account takeover identity theft refers to the type of situation where an imposter uses the stolen personal information to gain access to the person’s existing accounts. Often the identity thief will use the stolen identity to run up current credit lines, by changing your address so that you never see the credit card bills that the thief constantly runs up. True name identity theft means that the thief uses personal...
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...Cyber Crimes Cyber crimes are on some of the hardest crimes for the police to stop and catch the perpetrators because they can commit a crime in one state or country and physically be in another state or country. While the invention of the Internet has had great affects on the growth of technology, it has also given criminals an extremely large place to hide in and the laws are still trying to catch up with the growth of technology. The different technology crimes that occur fall into one of the three following categories: cyber piracy, cyber trespass, and cyber vandalism, and like the original crimes of piracy, trespass, and vandalism these crimes are similar except they happen in digital form. Three Categories of Cybercrime There are three categories of cybercrimes that can cause a lot of trouble for any individual or organization who becomes a victim of these crimes. Cyber piracy, trespass, and vandalism in some ways are similar because they all involve taking advantage of individual people or organizations by stealing personal information through digital techniques. 1. Cyber piracy Cyber piracy has two definitions; the first definition is when a person uses cyber technology unlawfully to produce copies of proprietary information. While the second definition is when a person uses cyber technology to distribute proprietary information, while it is in digital form, across networks. 2. Cyber trespass Cyber trespass has two definitions as well. The first definition...
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...Identity theft is the biggest crime in the world today. For over ten years, identity theft (in all forms) has been the number one consumer complaint. In 2012 identity, theft affected more than 16.6 million Americans alone. With the 16.6 million people affected, there was a financial loss of 21 billion dollars. That number only went up in 2013 to 24.7 billion dollars and so far, for 2014 we beat that number by over one billion dollars. Finklea, Kristin 2014) With this growing epidemic, we need to educate ourselves on what identity theft is, how it affects us and how to protect ourselves in this new cyber world. Types of Identity Theft It may surprise people to know that there are many different types of identity theft. The most common and often the first thing people think of when they hear identity theft is financial identity theft. This is when a person’s credit cards and/or bank accounts are accessed and used without the owner’s permission or knowledge. The thief can do this by withdrawing money from the victims back account or by maxing out their credit cards. Another way a criminal could commit financial identity theft is by opening new accounts in the victim’s name; such as credit card and even loans. This type of financial identity theft could take the victim years and thousands of dollars to correct. One of the first cases that received the attention of national headlines of financial identity theft was from 1992. In one notorious case of identity theft...
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... Chief Moore January 30, 2013 Computer Crimes: Computers as Targets Computer crimes are criminal activities, which involve the use of information technology to gain an illegal or an unauthorized access to a computer system with intent of damaging, deleting or altering computer data. Computer crimes also include the activities such as electronic frauds, misuse of devices, identity theft and data as well as system interference. Computer crimes may not necessarily involve damage to physical property. They rather include the manipulation of confidential data and critical information. Computer crimes involve activities of software theft, wherein the privacy of the users is hampered. These criminal activities involve the breach of human and information privacy, as also the theft and illegal alteration of system critical information ("Types of Computer Crimes"). The three crimes that I thought contained to this case where cyber extortion, Phreaking, and identity theft. Cyber extortion is a form of online crime in which a website, e-mail server, or computer system is subjected to repeated denial of service or other attacks by malicious hackers, who demand money in return for promising to stop the attacks. For example is when Cynthia was instructed to pay four payments of $999.99 through PayPal, but when she cooperated with PayPal, her identity was obtained ("IT Law Wiki"). This is when identity theft came in the case. Identity theft is someone wrongfully obtains and uses another...
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...Internet and Crime The Role of the Internet and Crime CIS 170 May 13, 2013 How the Internet has Aided Crime The internet has aided criminal activity by communicating with each other without having to be near, as well as fraud and identity theft. The rise of the Internet over the last decade has paralleled some of the greatest milestones in communications history. Along with such great strides in bringing the world together, the frightening aspect of accessing information and propaganda that tests the very limits of the U.S. Constitution has arrived. Above all, the Internet is used to commit against persons that include various crimes like transmission of child-pornography, harassment of any one with the use of a computer such as e-mail. The trafficking, distribution, posting, and dissemination of obscene material including pornography and indecent exposure, constitutes one of the most important criminal activity known today. With just a few keystrokes, an individual can have access to all forms of personal information, bomb-making instructions, and poison recipes; and a plethora of extremist ideologies expressing everything from radical religious cults to clandestine organized crime groups. Examples how Internet has Aided Crime One of the examples could be considered as identity theft. Identity theft is the use of one person's personal information by another to commit fraud or other crimes. The most common forms of identity theft occur when...
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