Identity theft 101: what is impersonation or character id theft?

August 31, 11:49 AMIdentity Theft ExaminerJoe Campana

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     Mistaken identity can lead to arrest of the victim 

Impersonation or character id theft occurs when a criminal poses as another person to aid, abet or commit a crime or to elude law enforcement. Victims of this type of identity theft may be arrested or left with a criminal record or arrest warrant resulting from criminal actions of an identity thief. These are difficult legal issues for victims of character identity theft to solve.

Precursors to this type of identity fraud include existing account fraud, new account fraud, government identification fraud and even government benefits fraud, employment fraud and medical identity theft.

Some examples how each of the types of identity theft listed above may result in character id theft follow.

A crook uses an existing or new financial account to conduct illegal transactions. For example, a securities trading account opened by using the identity of a victim is used to launder money. A new or existing credit card account is used to fund a web site that is used for illicit purposes such as internet fraud or child pornography. In these cases, the financial accounts trace back to the victim.

Fraudulent government identification is used commit fraud. For example, a forged driver’s license in the name of the victim is used as identification when the victim is arrested and charged with a crime. Fake identification is used to conduct terrorist activities. The 19 terrorists involved in 9-11 had over 300 identities. A criminal uses a forged driver’s license when stopped by law enforcement to evade arrest. An illegal immigrant is arrested for driving under the influence. The person produces a forged driver’s license containing all the information of the victim. The DUI charge goes on the victim’s record.

Thieves use fake identification to abuse government benefits. The government pursues the victim for conducting fraudulent benefits activities. A thief obtains employment and commits further identity theft by stealing employee or customer identities, or the thief commits embezzles from the employer. Thieves use stolen identities to conduct Medicare, Medicaid or health insurance fraud on an individual or grand scale by posing as a clinic, doctor or administrator.

In all the examples assume the crime is committed and the thief evades arrest by having used identity theft to allude being caught. A warrant for the victim is issued. Law enforcement will be led to the identity theft victim’s front door where an arrest will be made.

One interesting case, where the victim was arrested on several occasions and who lost a job because of character id theft, was chronicled in Wisconsin. Subsequent to the report, the victim lost his family because of the emotional stress of identity theft, dropped out of night school, and became emotionally and physically ill.

Even when victims are vindicated from the crime, they must hire an attorney to get any criminal records properly expunged from their records.