What is identity theft

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When Sandra Bullock had her identity stolen in the 1995 movie "The Net," the idea that a criminal could manipulate data via the Internet and take possession of a person's identity seemed far-fetched to many viewers. But Hollywood embellishment aside, identity theft is not only possible, it occurs every day. When a criminal obtains personal information, such as a Social Security number, driver's license number, birth date, and mother's maiden name, the criminal can apply for credit cards, secure loans, or establish any number of accounts in the victim's name. We refer to this process as identity theft.