Free Article: Identity Theft

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The Consequences Of Identity Theft
By Bill Southgate

Thievery is the act of taking something that doesn't belong to you and is against the law. Examples of theft include the stealing a car, taking money that doesn't belong to you, shoplifting, etc. Unfortunately, thievery has always been a part of society.

These are the most commonly known types of stealing but there is a, relatively, new threat that involves the loss of a possession of an individual. This new threat is refered to as identity theft.

In comparison to these other types of robberies, identity theft is probably the most devastating. This is seen as we understand the concept of identity theft, what are the financial losses associated with identity theft and other negative repercussions.

What Is Identity Theft?

Identity theft is the illegal use of another person's personal information. Personal information can be a person's social security number, address, name, financial institution information, etc.

There are many fraudulent uses that can be undertaken when identity theft has occurred. Examples can include the creation of new credit card accounts by using another individual's personal information, gaining access to that individual's financial institutions or accessing existing credit card accounts to purchase high price ticket items.

Probable Personal And Financial Losses

Identity theft can be an extremely traumatic event. Identity theft takes its toll on the person (and their family) both personally and financially.

When identity theft occurs the individual feels violated. They literally have someone taking their identity and defaming their name by conducting illegal actions. In some instances it can take months and sometimes years to completely repair the damage that resulted from identity theft. This disrepair is often reflected on a person's credit report.

Also, the financial damage to an individual, who is subjected to identity theft, is the powerlessness they feel knowing that the financial area of their life has been compromised. Identity theft actions can cost significant dollars in actual money expended along with the time and effort placed into restoring a person's good name. Another financial loss can include possible legal fees.

Other Likely Negative Repercussions

In addition to personal and financial losses there are other negative repercussions associated with identity theft. Some of those additional possibilities may include research actions taken by other entities to ensure that the individual being researched has a flawless background. If the background check is conducted on an identity theft individual the report may reflect false information.

For example a potential employer may run a background check on an individual to ascertain whether that person is reputable for an employment position. A background check on a person who has been the victim of identity theft may reflect an illegal action performed by the person who assumed that identity.

Other background checks may include the process of requesting a loan. If there has been identity theft and this research is conducted it may erroneously reflect bad credit through non-payment, over limit charges, excessive credit card debt, etc.

Author Details:
Bill Southgate writes for various websites about various things including identity theft with a great interest in home security

Article Source: Article Directory

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See also: Home Security