How much jail time for identity theft

It's a crime that nearly one in five people in the U. The amount of money lost to identity theft measures in the billions of dollars every year. All states criminalize identity theft, and many increase penalties when identity theft targets vulnerable individuals, such as the elderly or people under guardianships. Identity thieves target specific forms of personal identity. They use sensitive personal information, such as your Social Security Number, bank account numbers, email passwords, and credit card numbers to their own benefit.

An identity thief might use your personal information to apply for a credit card, set up a wireless device plan, get medical care, steal your tax refund, or give your information to a police officer if arrested or pulled over. State identity theft laws cover a wide range of behaviors. At their core, these crimes all involve someone using your personal identifying information without your consent for their own purposes or gain.

Identity theft can occur when:. One key piece to identity theft crimes is the use of specific kinds of information, commonly known as personal identifying information.

Though state definitions differ slightly, personal identifying information generally includes your name, date of birth, credit card numbers, Social Security number, financial records, credit report data, state identification or driver's license numbers, telephone numbers, financial account numbers, addresses, names of relatives, photographs, or anything else you can use to identify yourself.

You can commit identity fraud even if you never actually benefit from your actions. Identity theft occurs when you obtain, possess, or use someone else's information with the intent to later fraudulently use that information to your benefit.

Let's say you're a waiter and a customer gives you a credit card to pay the bill. If you write down or scan the credit card number intending to use it later to purchase something, you've committed identity theft even if you never actually buy anything. Trafficking in stolen identities can be charged if you steal personal information from someone and then sell or transfer it to a third party who commits identity theft. This is an even more serious crime that can result in up to 63 months in jail.

Your penalties may vary depending on your prior record, the facts of your case, and other factors. You should do everything you can to minimize the punishment you receive from an identity theft charge. Identity theft and identity fraud are terms used to refer to all types of crime in which someone wrongfully obtains and uses another person's personal data in some way that involves fraud or deception, typically for economic gain. With enough identifying information about an individual, a criminal can take over that individual's identity to conduct a wide range of crimes.

For example:. A fraud alert is free. It will make it harder for someone to open new accounts in your name. Review your reports. This will help you report the theft to the FTC and the police. Based on the information you enter, IdentityTheft. The Department of Justice prosecutes cases of identity theft and fraud under a variety of federal statutes.

We advise you to seek our advice and proven representation to ensure that you have capable professional help when facing down the criminal justice system. Contact an attorney at Hester Law Group at for a free, initial consultation about your criminal investigation or charges today. July 28,