Identity Theft–A Contemporary Threat

Abstract

Identity theft has historically risen in frequency as information technology has advanced, and it has since been acknowledged as the world’s fastest-growing crime. Identity theft is when someone else (usually a stranger) uses an individual’s identity without their prior consent, permission, or knowledge. Such types of impressions are mainly committing fraud, which usually results in financial harm to the victim and illegal financial gain to the person who perpetrates it. However, the main issue with identity theft is that it is quite hard to detect and prevent. People who have used technology extensively, such as college students, children, and others, are also prone to or can even fall prey to identity theft. It has been a major challenge for societies in the digital age. Individual victims experience catastrophic psychological and financial losses, and the consequences for society as a whole are immense. The major topics on identity theft reviewed in this research are the definition and meaning of identity theft, statistics
of identity theft, its types and stages, recording and reporting of identity theft, law enforcement issues and responses, effects, prevention, and defenses of identity theft. The research further found that access to personal information about potential victims, as well as the anonymity provided by the Internet, are significant facilitators of identity theft. In addition, the research has focused on the practices and operational environments of document-authenticating organizations that provide offenders with access to identification data. The researcher has followed the doctrinal and analytical methods of research and, at last, the inductive method, which helped to arrive at a certain conclusion. Within the research, the first chapter is the Introduction based on which the whole research is created. The next two succeeding chapters consists of an Operational Introduction, and Law Enforcement Issues and Response, which also includes an analysis of important international and national cases. The final chapter of the research consist of the Suggestions & Recommendations, and Conclusions. The researcher has concluded that people must be informed that not only is it unlawful to exploit others’ data, but it is also illegal to obtain personal and sensitive information about others. Identity thieves must understand that peeping into someone’s personal life is just as detrimental as peering into someone’s restroom. Nothing in this world is more unsettling than someone professing to be someone they are not.