Identity theft

Identity theft

Author : Sandeep Rana   

Introduction

Identity theft is a crime in which someone uses fraudulently your personal or financial information to make a purchase or to commit fraud. As there are many types of identity theft and affect us in several ways. This term is relatively new and broader, it occurs when someone deliberately uses another person’s identity in order to gain a financial advantage or obtain credit, purchase goods, and services in the name of the victim.  Personal identification number includes – a person’s name, date of birth, driver’s license no., bank account details, credit card number, PIN number, electronic signs, fingerprints, passwords, social security number, or any other information.

Types of identity theft

1. Financial identity theft – In order to seek economic benefits or financial gains like obtaining credit, goods, and services by using another person’s identity without their permission. These days credit card fraud is just the tip of the iceberg. It is the outcome of identity theft instead of calling it as a type of identity theft. Through accessing a bank account or credit card; they can withdraw cash, take out a loan, to make money transfer or can write a cheque in your name.
2. Child identity theft – It occurs when a child’s social security number is stolen or misused in order to commit fraud including opening fake accounts, taking government benefits or job, opening a credit account, taking a loan, etc. it can be devastating to a child when they will reach the age of 18 years while trying to build their own credit can create difficulties in several forms like terrible credit history, failed to restore their identity, etc.
3. Tax-related identity theft – It is defined as stealing someone’s personal information or social security number fraudulently and filing a tax return with an internal revenue service(IRS) or getting a job. The victim will be unaware of this fraud until he files for return and comes to know that a return has already been filed by someone while pretending to be him by using his social security number.  
4. Criminal identity theft– At the time of arrest, a person gives stolen identity information to the police; it will charge the victim instead of the thief. And when apprehended for a crime, the thief presents himself as another person by using a stolen identity and impersonates the victim in order to deceive law enforcement authorities.
5. Medical identity theft– This type of theft occurs when someone uses another person’s personal information in order to get medical care and services, treatment or drugs and submit claims under his name. They illegally access and use the patient’s personal identification number.  Example- stealing of health insurance number

Techniques of identity theft

1. Mail theft – It occurs when someone steals, takes victim’s mail in order to commit identity theft.  Example – stealing credit card bills, junk mail, and personal information from bank statements through mail scam.
2. Dumpster diving- A dumpster is a large trash container. It is a technique used to retrieve personal paperwork or information and discarded mail from trash dumpsters and could be used to carry out an attack on a computer network. It increases the risk of credit card theft in order to impersonate the user and get data or gain access to his or her profiles.
3. Shoulder surfing – When a person spying on the user of his electronic device in order to obtain their personal identification number, password, credit card no., or other confidential data.  It is also known as eavesdropping.  When someone watches over your shoulder to nab your confidential information and use it for financial gain and then it becomes identity theft.
4. Phishing – Using email(email scam), telephones or text message in order to deceive people or getting personal identifiable information, banking, and credit card details, password, etc. the messages sent by them demand that the victim goes to a website, fill their personal details, and risks some sort of consequences.
5. Malware – some people use various techniques in order to install the malware in the victim’s device and access all the data and information stored in it. It includes sending viruses, spyware, Trojans, and key loggers.

Warning signs of identity theft  

1. Withdrawal of money from bank accounts of victims that are not actually made by him.
2. False accounts and chargers on the credit reports.
3. Notification from the IRS about the filing of another income tax return under the victim name.
4. Receiving a lot of emails or text messages regarding the false credit score.
5. Changes in the bank statement of the victims.
6. Receiving unfamiliar emails from unauthenticated sites.
7. Rejection of original medical claims.
8. Sometimes, an arrest warrant of victim’s names because at the time of identity theft someone posed him like a victim.
9. Tampered bins.

Prevention of identity theft

 In case a person finds that his identity is stolen, what he needs to do? Clearly, a couple of steps need to be taken in the right way by the victim.

●         Analyze what has been stolen.

The first biggest step is to know that his identity has been stolen or misused by someone else. Once a person knows about it, clearly, he also needs to know that in India, stealing of personal identity or theft of identity is a distinct cybercrime under section 66 C of information technology act, 2002. This is punishable with 3 years imprisonment along with a fine of 1 lakh rupees.  Section 147 (Cheating by using any unique identification feature of any other person) and 419A (cheating by impersonation using a network or computer resource) of the Indian penal code, 1860 also deals with punishment of identity theft.

●         Contact the police station.

 The next step he needs to take is to immediately report this to law enforcement agencies or can go to the local police station and report about the identity theft.

●         Can go to cyber cell.

 Victims can also go to cyber cells in their respective cities and report about such identity theft. They are duty-bound to register a case on the complaint. In this a victim finds that a report has already been filed and still, there is a danger, he has also an option for further some remedy.

●          Contact ICERT

There is an Indian statutory authority known as the Indian computer emergency response team. (ICERT). It has been made a noble agency for cyber security in India.  Under the information technology act, 2000, victims can also report about identity theft to ICERT because this team is dedicatedly working on addressing this issue.

●          Inform or notify the relevant service provider

Further, a person doing any internet-related transaction must instantly inform or notify all the relevant service providers in this regard. So whether it is a bank or any other debit or credit card institution? They all are duty-bound to take all the appropriate steps. So that further damage could not or should not happen.

●          Precaution while making another digital identity

1. People must also need to be careful when you next go ahead and try to make another digital identity. As far as possible you can actually know the originating internet protocol address of the relevant computer from where the identity has been stolen, which becomes a huge step for law enforcement agencies for the purposes for determining who is the identity thief. In case the IP address is located outside the territorial boundaries of the country, then they could challenge jurisdiction.
2. But next time, while creating a new digital identity, make sure that you keep it secure as the physical world belongs.
3. As far as possible, don’t use your identity on cybercafés, public cafés because there could be a large amount of malware or spying within them.
4. Make sure that your own device is well secured, have a good antivirus program and also have a good exercise over sanitizing your system per se.

• People should also avoid responding to unsolicited emails and refuse to give any personal or financial information there.
• Reporting any type of identity theft can help the law enforcement agencies to reach to criminals and helps in keeping your information safe.

Conclusion

It can be concluded that identity theft is a relatively new and broader concept. It is one of the increasing crimes and the government should take measures for the protection of victims of identity theft. There is a need for actual and strict enforcement of the laws related to cyber security  It does not happen to everybody but is capable of happening just about anybody on the street. That is the reason identity theft is a crime and increasing more relevantly as time passes by.  A person’s digital identity is not permanent, it requires constant attention, due care, all steps necessary to protect its security, and inherit its capability. It’s not a light thing to deal with it, its one thing which can change a lifetime.