What is identity theft?

Identity theft is a crime in which an imposter obtains key pieces of personal information, such as Social Security or driver's license numbers, in order to impersonate someone else. The information can be used to obtain credit, merchandise, and services in the name of the victim, or to provide the thief with false credentials. In addition to running up debt, an imposter might provide false identification to police, creating a criminal record or leaving outstanding arrest warrants for the person whose identity has been stolen.

Obtaining a person's personal and financial information through criminal means. A thief uses this information for illegal purposes, such as to make purchases using the victim's name. Thieves can find information through discarded credit card or bank statements that are not destroyed, and can find the information online in customer databases.