“If a person assumes a fictitious identity at a party, there is no federal crime,” the letter says. “Yet if they assume that same identity on a social network that prohibits pseudonyms, there may again be a CFAA violation. This is a gross misuse of the law.”

11 ways to prevent identity theft

• Freeze your credit.
• Safeguard your Social Security number.
• Be alert to phishing and spoofing.
• Use strong passwords and add an authentication step.
• Use alerts.
• Watch your mailbox.
• Shred, shred, shred.
• Use a digital wallet.

The possession or use of false identification is a crime by itself, and if you use the ID to do something illegal, you can face additional charges and penalties for the illegal activity.

It is only illegal to misrepresent your identity to police and federal agents. To anyone else, and about anything else, it’s not illegal to lie. You can claim whatever you choose to claim in order to get whatever you want.

There is no legal way to acquire multiple identities unless you are suffering from MPD. Even if you use different names for different purposes, you still only have one legal identity.

Identity theft in California can be charged as either a felony or a misdemeanor depending on (1) the defendant’s criminal history, and (2) the specific facts of the case. A person convicted of misdemeanor identity theft faces up to one year in county jail, a fine of up to $1,000, or both.

A conviction for an identity theft crime can result in time spent in jail or prison. In general, a conviction for a misdemeanor offense can lead to up to a year in jail, while felony sentences can result in several years or more in prison.

If the person knows or law enforcement can find the person who is responsible for the identity theft, then they can be sued in both criminal and civil court.

Police departments can do very little to investigate and prosecute identity theft. You can use the Identity Theft Report to help get false information taken off your credit reports, stop a company from collecting debts and place an extended fraud alert on your credit reports.

You should definitely contact an attorney if you’re notified of a legal action against you based on debts incurred by the identity thief.

Warning Signs of Identity Theft

1. You see withdrawals from your bank account that you can’t explain.
2. You don’t get your bills or other mail.
3. Merchants refuse your checks.
4. Debt collectors call you about debts that aren’t yours.
5. You find unfamiliar accounts or charges on your credit report.
6. Medical providers bill you for services you didn’t use.

In short, they do provide a benefit, but it’s worth noting that nearly everything an identity theft protection service offers, you can do on your own. For many people though, it’s worth the cost simply knowing someone else is watching out for their sensitive information.

How To Know if Someone Stole Your Identity

1. Track what bills you owe and when they’re due. If you stop getting a bill, that could be a sign that someone changed your billing address.
2. Review your bills.
3. Check your bank account statement.
4. Get and review your credit reports.

How Much Information is Needed for Someone to Steal Your Identity…

• Your Name.
• Your Address.
• Your Email Address.
• Your Social Security Number.
• Official Documents, Like Your Passport or Driver’s License.
• Card Information.
• Account Information.
• The Potential Damage.

Identity thieves can steal your personal information directly or indirectly by: Stealing your wallets and purses containing identification cards, credit cards and bank information. Stealing your mail including credit and bank statements, phone or utility bills, new checks, and tax information.

Types of Identity Theft

• Financial Identity Theft. Financial identity theft is by far the most common type of identity theft.
• Medical Identity Theft.
• Criminal Identity Theft.
• Child Identity Theft.
• Identity Cloning & Concealment.
• Synthetic Identity Theft.
• Mitigate Your Risk.

Identity thieves almost never get caught Just to provide some perspective and comparison, 44.3% of violent crime suspects were arrested as well as 15.8% of alternative property crimes. Another alarming number is 85, as in 85% of identity theft victims don’t realize for up to a year if not longer.