Identity theft is a crime in which the imposter obtains key pieces of information such as Social Security and driver's license numbers and uses them for his or her own gain. Victims are left with a tainted reputation and the complicated task of restoring their good names.

There are four types of identity theft crime:

Financial ID Theft
This type of case typically focuses on your name and Social Security number (SSN). This person may apply for telephone service, credit cards or loans, buy merchandise, lease cars or apartments.

Criminal ID Theft
The imposter in this crime provides the victim's information instead of his or her own when stopped by law enforcement. Eventually when the warrant for arrest is issued it is in the name of the person issued the citation - yours.

Identity Cloning
In this crime the imposter uses the victim's information to establish a new life. They work and live as you. Examples: Illegal aliens, criminals avoiding warrants, people hiding from abusive situations or becoming a "new person" to leave behind a poor work and financial history.

Business or Commercial Identity Theft
Businesses are also victims of identity theft. Typically the perpetrator gets credit cards or checking accounts in the name of the business. The business finds out when unhappy suppliers send collection notices or their business rating score is affected.

No matter what type of identity theft is involved, the result is a long and sometimes arduous road to recovery. As in all crimes, preventing the crime from occurring in the first place is key.

Fremont Bank strongly believes that while it is important for consumers to take steps to decrease their risk factors, the business community must do their part as well.