I'm an Identity Theft Victim?!?!

Many victims of identity theft don't realize that they are actually victims of this growing crime.  The emphasis is on bank accounts and credit cards whether it is new accounts or existing ones.  Mess with their money and they immediately recognize it.   Everyone has jumped on the identity theft issue offering credit monitoring and credit resolution, even some homeowners policies have identity theft insurance attached.  In every case the emphasis and protection is targeted toward finances.  That's a good thing but let's look at some other identity theft issues.

Criminal

Let's suppose you are driving home from work.  You're fudging on the speed limit.  You hear the dreaded sound of a siren and see blue lights in your rear view mirror.  Well you know everything is in order.  You have current insurance and your vehicle is properly registered.  The officer is very polite, he tells you you were traveling faster than the posted speed but rather than write you a ticket he'll be running your driver's license and if everything checks out he'll let you off with a warning.  The officer goes to his car and returns a minute or so later with his gun drawn demanding you get out of the vehicle and face down on the ground.
He informs you that you are under arrest on a felony warrant from a state you have never been in. 

So how did it happen that you, a law abiding citizen is sitting in jail for crimes you did not commit?  You have been the victim of criminal/character identity theft.

Driver's license

Let's look at the same scenario.  Instead of him coming up and arresting for a warrant, he tells you your driver's license is suspended because of unpaid traffic tickets.  You've never had a ticket in your life.  You are the victim of driver's license identity theft.

Social security

On April 15th you sent off your tax return, you got your refund check and splurged on a mini-vacation.  It's now November, so why is the IRS sending you a letter?  You open it to find out not only do you owe the amount of your refund but also additional taxes because you did not report other income.  You ask yourself "What other income?  I've been on the same job for several years."  Someone else is working using your social security number.  All the income they received was reported to the IRS as being earned by you.

Medical

You just got hired with a courier company.  You'll be driving all over town doing deliveries.  But the company has you go and take a physical first.  You're in great shape you exercise daily and hit the gym 3 times a week to do weight training.  You're healthy as a horse.  Well the company calls you back after your physical and tells you that they won't be needing your services after all.  Turns out that you had a gran-mal seizure just last month.  Your medical identity has been stolen.

These are just a few examples of how identity theft can affect you without ever touching your finances.  Understand that identity means your entire life and not just your finances.  You are much more than a bank account or credit rating and identity thieves understand this, even if financial institutions don't.