Today, anyone might have access to your details. This information could include basic social media details or identification numbers used to facilitate financial transactions. There are laws protecting them from misuse. However, some perpetrators could still take advantage and commit identity theft.
Unfortunately, they could use your details in many ways after they collect them. They could commit fraud or create fraudulent accounts at financial institutions. These people might also link you to criminal activities by impersonating or naming you as an accomplice. This practice is criminal identity theft. Sometimes, people do not know that they have criminal records under their name. A person could commit criminal identity theft by doing the following:
- They used someone else’s name for citations and police records.
- Court records show someone else’s name after prosecution.
- They committed the crime under someone else’s name.
- Their criminal record or conviction becomes associated with someone else.
Victims might be oblivious to these incidents unless they receive a notice or investigate using local registries. Fortunately, California has an identity theft registry to keep track of these cases.
Tracing instances of criminal identity theft
People wrongly implicated in crimes could contact the California Identity Theft Registry to verify their identity and remove crimes recorded under their names. However, doing so could include paperwork and a tedious registry application process. The applicant must receive the court order before initiating the registration.
Additionally, these incidents pose threats of further identity theft; necessitating freezes on credit documents. Doing so could stop external entities from accessing your files, preventing other identity theft cases.
Addressing identity theft
The people behind identity theft could be individuals or widescale operations seeking to exploit others’ vulnerable data. It is essential to take measures against it and legal action if necessary. Doing so could help clarify any erroneous criminal convictions and avoid it happening again.
