INTRODUCTION

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 WHAT IS IDENTITY THEFT ?
 Identity theft is a serious cybercrime in which an
individual's personal and sensitive information is
stolen by unauthorized individuals or entities.
This stolen information can include:

 Personal Information: This encompasses data like a

person's full name, date of birth, Social Security number,
and home address.
 Financial Information: Identity thieves may target bank
account numbers, credit card details, and financial
records.
 Online Account Credentials: Hackers often aim to steal
usernames and passwords for email accounts, social
media profiles, and online banking.
 Government Identification: Fraudsters may use stolen
identities to create fake government IDs or passports.
 WHY WOULD SOMEONE DO IT?
 Once an identity thief gains access to this
information, they can engage in various illegal
activities, such as:

 Financial Fraud: They can open credit card accounts,

take out loans, or make purchases using the victim's
financial data, leading to financial losses for the
victim.
 Criminal Activities: Stolen identities may be used to

commit crimes, leaving the victim falsely implicated.

 Impersonation: Identity thieves can impersonate the

victim, causing reputational damage and they can

also spread misinformation on the behalf of the
victim.
 The number of identity theft cases reported to the Federal Trade
Commission (FTC) has increased in the last five years. According to
the FTC’s Consumer Sentinel Network (CSN) report, the number
of reported cases more than doubled from 2019 to 2020.
 Types of identity theft
1) Financial Identity Theft:
- Involves the theft of financial information such as credit card numbers, bank
account details, and Social Security numbers to make unauthorized financial
transactions or gain access to the victim's funds.

2) Medical Identity Theft:

- Occurs when someone uses another person's personal information to obtain
medical treatment, prescription drugs, or health insurance benefits. This can
lead to incorrect medical records and billing issues for the victim.

3) Criminal Identity Theft:

- Involves a criminal using another person's identity during an arrest or
investigation. This can result in the victim being wrongfully accused of crimes
they didn't commit.
 Types of identity theft
4) Social Media Identity Theft:
Criminals may impersonate someone on social media platforms, using their
identity to spread false information, engage in scams, or tarnish the victim's online
reputation

5) Senior Identity Theft:

Targets elderly individuals who may be more vulnerable to scams and fraud.
Thieves may exploit their trust or lack of familiarity with technology.

6) E-commerce Identity Theft:

Involves criminals using stolen identities to make fraudulent online purchases,
often using the victim's credit card or financial information.

7) Synthetic Identity Theft:

Involves creating a new identity by combining real and fake information, making it
harder to detect. Criminals use these synthetic identities for fraudulent activities.
 CONCLUSION