IDENTITY THEFT 1
IDENTITY THEFT
IDENTITY THEFT 2
Identity theft and identity fraud are often thought of as one in the same. However, there
is a notable di#erence between the two: Identity theft occurs when a person’s personal
information is accessed by a person or persons for whom it wasn’t granted. Identity fraud is
when that information is used to steal or access money. (Ellis, 2014)
Each year millions of Americans become victims. In fact, according to research
performed by the United States Department of Justice in 2013, on average over 11 million
Americans become victims of identity fraud each year, with each instance of identity theft
costing an average of$4,930. (Identity Theft/Fraud Statistics, 2013)
Identity theft occurs when thieves obtain key elements of an individual’s personal
information, such as social security numbers or credit card information, and use that
information to pose as someone else. This information can be used to obtain credit or make
