Not many people have heard of identity theft. Some may not know what exactly it is or how dangerous it can be. Is this just something from CSI or could it be real? The basic answer is that it is a crime when someone unfairly attempts to use another person's information in a way that is likely to be deceptive. Most people do this to boost their finances. Some things that may be taken are, for example, Social Security, bank account information, credit card numbers, and telephone numbers. There are so many little things that people can't keep up with nowadays. It can be extremely dangerous if any of this information falls into the hands of the wrong person. You may face financial loss, criminal liability, or financial loss due to the restoration of your name and reputation. We say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an original essay Identity theft hasn't always been a federal crime. The USDOJ (United States Department of Justice) tells us about a specific case. “In one notorious identity theft case, the criminal, a convicted felon, not only incurred more than $100,000 in credit card debt, obtained a federal home loan, and purchased homes, motorcycles, and handguns victim's name, but called his victim to taunt him - saying he could continue to pretend to be the victim for as long as he wanted because identity theft was not a federal crime at the time - before declaring bankruptcy, always in the victim's name. While the victim and his wife spent more than four years and more than $15,000 of their own money to restore their credit and reputation, the criminal served a short sentence for making false statements to procure himself. a firearm, but paid no compensation to his victim for any harm he had caused. This case was the final act that made identity theft a crime in 1998. I know you may be thinking, obviously this. It's a huge thing, but it will never happen to me. It's extremely easy for people to get your information. So while you may think you are mostly careful and keep all important information locked away in the safety of your home. There are many ways that almost anyone can get information and data without even opening the door. For example, there is something called “shoulder surfing”. This is where someone watches you from a surrounding location. You could enter credit card information or phone numbers. Another thing people do is listen to conversations where you might be providing information to sales people or family. Another example is called "dumpster diving," where people search through dumpsters in their home and work area to find any files or documents. They look for things like checks, credit cards or bank statements – basically anything that will help them become you. You may be familiar with spam. Many people can send an email and as soon as you open the message they have full control of your computer. They can get all the information they need. In November, congress passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act which is well said by the website: “knowingly transfer[ring] or us[ing], without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with l intent to commit, or to aid or abet any unlawful activity which constitutes a violation of federal law or which constitutes a crime under any state or local law.