IndexWhat is Online Identity Theft?Types of Online Identity TheftMethods to Commit Online Identity TheftWho is at Risk?Possible Solutions and Prevention of Online Identity TheftConclusionWhat is Theft of online identity? Everyone is unique. We all have our own traits, DNA and fingerprints. Each individual possesses unique characteristics, interests and talents to create a unique identity. Our identity combines all these things in us. When that identity is taken from us or stolen, we lose who we are. Even if we don't lose a sense of who we are for ourselves, we lose it for others. Bad actors disguise themselves by pretending to be us, behaving and committing actions as one individual in disguise and at the expense of another. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on "Why Violent Video Games Shouldn't Be Banned"? Get an Original Essay Online identity theft is the use of someone else's identity for personal gain. The perpetrator "steals" the victim's identity and engages in various activities under the victim's name and credentials such as addresses, Social Security numbers, account usernames and passwords, bank account information, and credit card numbers . The victim's information can also be sold to various "offerers", who seek to obtain identities for nefarious reasons. According to the Federal Trade Commission's (FTC) Consumer Sentinel Network, approximately 3 million reports of identity theft and fraud were filed in 2018. 444,602 reports were classified as identity theft, compromising nearly 15% of total reports (Insurance Information Institute) . The identity thief seeks to benefit himself for his own self-interest and gain at the expense of innocent and unsuspecting people. The online safety of hundreds of thousands of victims has been compromised and many have seen their finances exploited and their reputations ruined as a result of such a heinous and serious crime. Types of Online Identity Theft There are various types of identity theft and methods of how it is committed by offenders. In 2018, the top five types of identity theft fraud included 1) credit card fraud where new accounts were opened in the victims' names, 2) miscellaneous identity theft (e.g. online purchases, online accounts, insurance, etc.), 3) tax fraud, 4) mobile phone with new account opening, and 5) credit card fraud where victims' existing accounts were used. The most common type was credit card fraud with the opening of new accounts. For this type, 130,928 reports were submitted, equal to 40.5% of the "total of the top five". Simply put, any form of identity theft committed using online methods can be classified as online identity theft. A perpetrator may commit criminal identity theft by impersonating another individual to avoid police arrest and hide a criminal record. Financial identity theft involves using a stolen identity for profit, such as opening credit cards in the victim's name and making online purchases using stolen payment information. Medical identity theft occurs when you seek health benefits using another's identity (Pixel Privacy). The types listed above are examples that can lead to identity theft through some methods done online. Various forms of identity theft can be committed without the use of technology and the Internet. It could occur in the real world and the offender could engage in Internet activity using stolen identities. The same goes for thefts that occur online and exploit identities through real-world activity. Therefore, variousforms of identity theft can be committed for fraudulent actions and personal gain interchangeably in both the digital and non-digital worlds. Methods to Commit Identity Theft Online There are various means to commit identity theft online. Phishing involves attempting to acquire your sensitive information through some form of digital communication. Sensitive information that could be phished includes the victim's name, usernames, passwords, payment information, address, and other contact information. The most common execution of phishing is sending "spam" or "scam" emails with the goal of clicking on links, often disguised as promotions or prizes, and being asked to enter their information to "claim the prize". Another goal is to have the victim download malicious files within the email containing malware that will infect the victim's computer, gaining the thief's access to the files and information stored on that particular device. Pharming involves a hacker redirecting traffic from a legitimate website to a fake website. The hacker gains access to the website's server and installs a redirect address to the fake site. Visitors are now redirected to the hacker's fake site and enter their information to log in to accounts and complete purchases, making their information available to the hacker. The pharming method is similar to phishing in that the victim is "tricked" into providing their sensitive information. However, the victim does not click on a suspicious email, but rather enters a web address that they may have visited multiple times and had no reason to believe that the website's security had been compromised by a hacker. Another method might involve an offender. create a fake online profile to interact with people via email and social media. An example would be for an offender to claim to be an employee of an organization with seemingly authentic credentials and ask the victim to “confirm their account” with their information. The thief can also impersonate a real individual or even use a stolen online profile to acquire another online identity. Scammers can also create fake online dating profiles and start an "online relationship" with their victim. They may gain the victim's trust and the scammer may ask for gifts and financial transactions. They may also know intimate details of their victim which can be used if the perpetrator wishes to impersonate his victim in the future. Additionally, the perpetrator can exploit other intimate information, such as revealing images, which can be used to blackmail the victim into sending bank account information, credit card numbers, and, in fact, their entire identity. Still under the cover of an impersonation or fake identity, a thief can convince someone of a problem with their device or the Internet and request remote access to "fix the problem", resulting in personal details and financial statements are disclosed to the perpetrator. Who is at Risk? Essentially, anyone's identity can be stolen. It can happen to people who are completely unaware and unsafe on the Internet, as well as those who take the necessary precautions online. People can be specifically targeted or chosen randomly. Everyone has this common, preconceived idea that “it won't happen to me” and they often hold onto this idea when they hear stories or learn that someone close to them has fallen victim to such a serious crime. Online identity theft is one of those things people hear about on the evening news and.