Identity theft
As identity theft (including identity fraud, identity fraud identity fraud, .. Engl identity theft ) the misuse of personal data ( the identity) of a natural person is referred to by third parties.
The designation as " identity theft " is very common, but makes the situation not as good as " identity theft ", because in a typical theft to the person entitled something is taken away, so that he then itself no longer has it. When identity theft entitled may his identity but continue to use.
Target of identity theft, it may be to achieve a fraudulent financial benefit or to bring the rightful owner of the identity into disrepute ( rare).
At a Identity theft is used to bypass the determination of the actual own identity or distort this next to its name a number of personal data such as date of birth, address, driver's license or social security numbers, bank account or credit card numbers. The more matching data from the abuser has, the more reliable the pretense he will succeed.
Already acquired data can be used to determine further data. So, for example, got the insurance industry in recent declaration problems because a TV station randomly selected in road traffic license plate to the insurance data of the holder - in particular, the full addresses - arrived and the reporter was released on the vehicle owners at the door. In this case, an accident was alleged in the telephone conversations first, allowing you to always come to the name of the insurance and the contract number on the central call the auto insurer. Then at the determined insurance was invoked with the contract number and, for example, maintains that one is just moved and wanted to just check the accuracy of the address. As a rule, was then called by the relevant insurance the keeper's name and address - in the good faith belief that you speak with the holder.
The improper use of another identity can for the victims of the indebtedness or - if criminal acts are carried out on behalf of the victim of identity theft - lead to unjust punishments. If abuse is detected, the offender shall be punished not only for the abuse itself, but should reflect the damage done financial harm and accept the punishment for the crimes committed in the name of the victim deeds.
Illegal operators bureaus manipulated by phishing, pharming and spoofing the computers of a specific audience and gain so that initially the identity ( for example Nickname in conjunction with a password). Gain with this stolen identity they then have access to data during online discussions, social networking sites, Internet auctions and other (information theft) and market the recovered data to " interested parties " ( criminals ).
Nicknapping
A particular form of identity theft is the Nicknapping (composed of Nick, short for nickname and napping in reference to kidnapping ) is: the appearance on the Internet under the name or pseudonym of another discussion subscriber or user.
Since the Internet is used and reinforced in the public context, it is often possible, instead of his real name to use any name. This applies to mailing lists as well as Usenet and forums.
It is possible not only invented, but explicitly name the actually existing people to use who do not have to necessarily experienced something of the use by third parties. In discussion platforms that require registration, it is necessary that the appropriate person either itself does not have a account or a duplicate registration is possible. Also, the use of pseudonyms in factually related forums or portals is a form of Nicknappings unless independence of the persons involved is given and the pseudonym is assigned in the corresponding topics company of a known person, so it has a high recognition value.
Criminal abuse of the real name and the one Nick is to be evaluated differently. While the use of a false name in connection with other facts and figures to person is always an offense to use the same nick as a rule can not be tracked because Nicks are not protected. Legally equal footing with the " real name " are registered only in the artist's name badge.
Accounts
In this special case, a real identity theft is possible, because in platforms that allow only one registration for the same data, the holder of identity may invest no more account if someone has improperly used its data to the system of accounts.
Germany
The internet identity theft is increasing massively. In Germany, 250,000 cases were registered only in fourth year.
USA
The forms of identity theft most common are credit card fraud, accounts robbery and bank fraud; in the U.S., these offenses are after a study by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) have caused damage of around 37 billion U.S. Dollars in 2002 - 33 billion dollars for business customers and nearly $ 4 billion in private households. Also, an increase in the amount of damage was found - in 2005 they amounted to around $ 57 billion U.S..
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing forms of crime in high-tech countries. In the U.S. Trade Commission FTC total of 168,000 ads and 380,000 complaints were received because of identity theft, for example in 2002.
In 2007, the California city of Napa with 300 complaints per 100,000 inhabitants, the city with the most complaints of identity theft in the United States.
Identity theft as a movie theme
- The Power (1995 )
- Switch - The Substitute
- On the web