Identity Theft

misappropriation of an individual's identifying information with the intent to commit fraud. An individual who knowingly uses another person's Social Security number or driver's license or other personal identifying data to open fraudulent bank accounts or apply for fraudulent loans is committing identity theft. In a common version, called account takeover theft, the thief uses the information to access existing accounts. Computerized records and the ability to transact business anonymously over the Internet have contributed greatly to the rise of identity theft crimes since the late 1990s.