Identity Theft

Any case of identity theft in California and throughout the nation can have devastating effects on a victim with research showing that children have become an increasingly common target. Out of the millions of identity theft victims every year, approximately 140,000 are children, according to The Chicago Tribune.

Frequently, the identities of children are stolen by perpetrators who obtain their social security numbers in order to open a line of credit. Since credit issuers cannot verify the applicant’s age through the social security number alone, criminals can state whatever age they want, creating an “official” age for credit history and all future transactions. Identity theft of children is especially devastating because it can go undetected for many years, building up huge debt and bad credit for children before they even have their first job or credit card. Since parents would not think to check their children’s credit history or set up a CA identity theft fraud alert, identity thieves can have access to these lines of credit for years.

A child’s identity can be stolen by a perpetrator stealing a social security card or determining a child’s number through a government-issued sequence based on place and time of the child’s birth. While social security numbers became randomized in 2011, many children are still at risk.

Having your identity stolen at any stage of your life can be devastating, both emotionally and financially. Those suffering from identity theft and its effects can contact Riverside identity theft lawyer Howard D. Silver for legal representation and the chance to end the effects of identity theft. Call (866) 49-LEMON today for a free consultation on your case by the skilled legal team at the Law Offices of Howard D. Silver.

California authorities have announced the official creation of a new crime fighting unit known as the eCrime Unit designed to target crimes involving technology, such as identity theft. In recent years, identity theft crimes have risen in in California and across the United States as criminals learn new ways to use technology to illegally gain access to money and create various identity theft traps. According to California Attorney General Kamala Harris, more than 1 million Californians are victimized by identity theft every year.

Although the eCrime Unit began operating in August it was not officially announced until December 2011. The unit is supposed to be focusing on using innovative law enforcement strategies to investigate and prosecute technologically savvy criminals. The unit will be working with law enforcement across the state and will help prosecute criminals who often affect several jurisdictions with their activities. The unit employs a total of 20 attorneys and investigators and has already been instrumental in cases, including a Sacramento-based Facebook hacker sentenced to four years in prison.

In the U.S., California had the greatest number of identity theft complaints in 2010 and 10 of the top 25 metropolitan areas affected by identity theft. In total, identity theft crimes totaled $46 million in losses in 2010.

Identity theft can severely harm a victim’s livelihood and leave long-lasting damages if not dealt with swiftly and correctly. Los Angeles identity theft attorney Howard D. Silver can protect you from fraudulent debt and improper debt collection caused by identity theft. For a free consultation on your identity theft rights, call (866) 495-3666 today.