While all identity theft is a crime, criminal identity theft is a specific type of crime in which a criminal uses another person’s identity when they receive a citation or are arrested. This criminal will often use the victim’s name, address and date of birth which will result in a criminal record in the victim’s name. 

The aftermath of criminal identity theft can be devastating. If you are the victim of this type of identity theft you may have your name, address and date of birth associated with a criminal record. This makes it difficult to find employment, get approved for housing or even obtain a loan. In some cases, law enforcement might contact or arrest you for crimes you did not commit. 

Warning Signs of Criminal Identity Theft

Criminal identity theft is a silent crime that is hard to detect unless you are regularly monitoring your personal information and credit report. However, there are some warning signs that you may be the victim of criminal identity theft:

• Law enforcement contacts, arrests or cites you for a crime that you did not commit.
• There is a warrant out for your arrest for a crime that you did not commit. 
• You are denied housing, employment or a loan because of a criminal record that you do not have. 
• You notice your credit score is decreasing. 
• The government places you on the sex offender registry for a crime that you did not commit. 
• The state suspends your driver’s license because of a crime that you did not commit. 
• Your passport has been denied or revoked because of a crime that you did not commit. 
• The government threatens deportation for a crime that you did not commit. 
• You are being denied citizenship because of a crime that you did not commit.

Immediate Action Steps

If you think you may be a victim of criminal identity theft, there are some things you should do right away:

• Keep all documentation and records related to your case in one place. 
• Make copies of everything before sending originals to anyone. 
• Keep a log of all correspondence and conversations related to your case. 
• Consider contacting an attorney if you:
  • find that there is a warrant out for your arrest.
  • are denied housing, employment or a loan because of a criminal record.
  • the government places you on the sex offender registry for a crime you did not commit.
  • The government deports you or denied citizenship because of a crime you did not commit.
• If law enforcement contacts you about a crime you did not commit, do not speak to them without an attorney present. 
• Contact the three major credit bureaus and review your credit reports for any fraudulent activity. Request that a fraud alert be placed on your credit report.
• If the state suspends or revokes you driver’s license because of a crime you did not commit, contact the DMV. 
• If your passport has been denied or revoked because of a crime you did not commit, contact the State Department. 
• Visit IdentityTheft.gov from the Federal Trade Commission to file a report and create a personalized plan for recovery.

Conclusion

Criminal identity theft is a serious crime that can have lasting consequences. Although it’s not completely avoidable, there are some things you can do to protect yourself. Check your credit report regularly for any suspicious activity and be cautious about who you give your personal information to. Never give out your social security number, date of birth or mother’s maiden name over the phone unless you are absolutely certain you know who you are speaking to, and shred documents that contain your personal information before disposing of them.

Learn more about other types of identity theft on our identity theft page.