July 2007
Stages of Identity Theft
The researchers categorized three stages of identity theft. A particular identity theft crime may include one or all of these stages. Stage 1. Acquisition of the identity through theft, computer hacking, fraud, trickery, force, redirecting or intercepting mail, or even by legal means (e.g., purchasing identifying information on the Internet). Stage 2. Use of the identity for financial gain (the most common motivation) or to avoid arrest or otherwise hide one's identity from law enforcement or other authorities (such as bill collectors). Crimes in this stage may include:
Stage 3. Discovery of the theftalthough many misuses of credit cards are discovered quickly, identity theft may take from 6 months to several years to discover. Evidence suggests that the longer it takes to discover the theft, the greater the loss incurred by the victim, who may or may not involve law enforcement. Considerably more research is needed in this area. |
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