Identity Theft, Stolen Identities, Fraudulent Documents

What Can Your Identity Be Used For?

Most people think of identity theft as using another person’s identity to rack up debt. And while this is the most popular way to use someone else’s identity, it is not the only way any more. Illegal immigrants, criminals, and even terrorists are doing things even worse than accruing debt with stolen identities. They are forging documents, committing crimes, and even trafficking drugs all with stolen identities. The ramifications of which can leave innocent victims tied up in court or jail for years.

Identity theft became more than just spending another person’s money when illegal immigrants began using fraudulent information to enter the country. According to the INS aliens using fraudulent documents to enter the country is extensive. INS inspectors find thousands of fraudulent documents every year on aliens trying to enter the country. These people were trying to enter the country for jobs, naturalization, or permanent residency. Counterfeiting documents like social security cards is has become easy as technology, and identity theft has grown.

Criminals are in on identity theft as well, and not just for making fraudulent purchases. Drug traffickers are increasingly taking on another person’s identity while committing crimes. This is potentially devastating for the victim of identity theft as they can be held responsible for all the crimes committed. This can leave innocent people tied up in court or end up in jail for years all because a criminal stole their identity. This is not the only way criminals use stolen identities. Criminals ordering supplies for methamphetamine or other drug production will use another person’s identity, saving them form being detected and causing the victim lots of problems.

Identity theft dose not occur solely in the US, terrorists are taking identity theft across borders and using the identities of innocent Americans. Terrorists use stolen identities to avoid detection while in our country. They also use stolen identities while traveling to make it hared for authorities to track their whereabouts. Stolen identities are also used to fund their operations and to gain access to airports and other restricted areas.

Identity theft has become than unauthorized purchases and accumulating debt. It helps criminals, terrorists, and aliens gain access to our country and continue committing crimes. So the next time you wonder what your identity can be used for, you’ll know a lot more than racking up debt.