What Form of Identity Theft Crime Is The Worst?

Anytime someone is victimized by identity theft and fraud it is a scary proposition. You get a phone call from a collection service that demands payment for a product you never heard of made in a store you have never been to in a state you have never visited. Explaining this basic truth to the person on the other end does not seem to do any good. Pay it or else and they do mean or else.

There is also the criminal identity theft. Law enforcement officials show up at your place of employment and take you out in handcuffs. It seems you are wanted for passing bad checks and a bench warrant has been issued for your arrest since you never showed up in court. Trying to explain that to stoic police officers who have heard it all before is not going to work. It’s scary and humiliating as your boss and coworkers watch it all unfold. Yet according to a number of experts and more than a few victims there is one form of identity theft out there that tops the list for scariness.

Cloning is when stealing your identity for financial gain or to get away with a crime is just not good enough for the thief. So they take it ten steps further by becoming you almost literally. Where you were born where you currently live, the palaces you reside in previously, who are you parents and relatives who did you date previously, what is your current marital status and to whom. What is your educational background as well as employment history. Any personal idiosyncrasies they can glean is also a bonus.

In essence the identity thief has taken a crash course in studying you. From there they become you in another location. Anything or anyone that may trip them up is not a concern since it will all fall back on you. Why the elaborate masquerade? More often than not they are on the run from the law and need a cover.

The damage identity theft cloning can do is no joke. It can take months if not years to fully recover since all their activity falls directly onto your shoulders. Trying to explain to law enforcement and various agencies that what occurred is not your fault becomes even more difficult when they start regurgitating some of your personal information back to you and you have to acknowledge that it is true. It’s scary anytime someone steals your personal information. It’s even scarier when they take over your life.