Personal Identity Theft

Say “identity theft” and most people think of someone opening new credit cards accounts with stolen information. That’s the garden variety identity theft that we hear about most frequently. But there are as many types of identity theft as there are weeds in a neglected garden.

The three most common ways personal identity theft is committed are medical identity theft, criminal identity theft, and employment identity theft. Though financial gain is usually present, personal identity theft may also include an element of self preservation, the long-term use of a stolen identity, and using the identity in a variety of settings.

Medical identity theft
Medical identity theft takes place when someone else uses your identifying information to receive medical care. The victim’s credit may be damaged by unpaid medical bills, but worse is the threat of the perpetrator’s medical information becoming commingled with the victim’s. The result of receiving the wrong blood type or a medication they’re allergic to could be lethal.

Criminal identity theft
Criminal identity theft takes place when a person commits a crime or is arrested and provides law enforcement with a false name and other identifying information. A Utah woman was victimized by both medical and criminal identity theft when a woman using her identity gave birth to child at a local hospital, and then abandoned the newborn. When the infant tested positive for methamphetamine exposure, the victim was threatened with arrest and losing custody of her own four children.

In another case, a Minnesota man has been arrested four times on assault and drug trafficking charges after someone else used his identity. After one arrest he spent several days in jail before the misidentification could be cleared up. He has also lost a job and been denied unemployment benefits because of his arrest record.

Employment identity theft
Employment identity theft is the use of someone else’s identity to gain employment. This tactic is used in a number of different situations. An illegal resident may use another person’s identity to be eligible to hold a job in the US. Someone with a criminal history may use someone else’s identity to clear a background check. Or, it may just be that an alternative identity provides the education and work experience needed by a job seeker who wouldn’t otherwise qualify for a position.

Employment identity theft can go undetected until the victim files taxes, and the Internal Revenue Service claims he has under declared wages. After all, the IRS shows taxes being deducted by a second employer on wages earned by the perpetrator. Or, the victim may try to file for Social Security benefits only to be told that those benefits have already been assigned to the criminal who is using his identity.

Preventing identity theft
The key to preventing identity theft in any form is the same.

• Never give out personal information on the phone or internet unless you’ve initiated the contact.
• Shred unnecessary mail.
• Lock up financial statements, credit cards, Social Security cards.
• Never leave incoming or outgoing mail in an unlocked mailbox.
• Check your credit report at least once a year; every six months is better.

In addition to these common recommendations, check over your annual benefits statement from the Social Security Administration. Compare the information on your statement of benefits to your W-2 forms. These last two steps won’t prevent personal identity theft, but they may be the only clue you have that someone else has stolen your identity.

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