What is identity fraud?

Question

Im not sure if its pretending to be somebody else by stealing their details, or if it's making them up.

In England, what are the sentence for it? I ask because I was recently reading the terms and conditions of a mobile phone network contract. It says you must supply truthful information. If not, your contract may be terminated. By truthful information, it means date of birth and address.

I thought it was a lot more serious than that, such as a heavy fine or depending how bad it is, imprisonment. But cancelling a contract doesnt seem like much of a punishment.

Answer 1

Using you details, by way of your identity, to gain monetarily, to get a copy of your birth certificate, passport, utility bills and clone your ID.

Millions of people have fallen foul to this, and its on the increase.

Answer 2

Identity fraud is using personal information that doesn't belong to you.  The most common type is using someone else's identity to obtain credit.  

Answer 3

it can be a lot of things. but mainly its changing your identity to reap the benefits of some govenment grant

Answer 4

Identity fraud is stealing someone's personal details, name, DOB, etc plus credit cards and passport etc and acting as that person when making financial transactions, travelling etc.

Identity fraud is wide-spread and it is up to each of us to guard against it.

This Home Office advice on Identity Theft is very informative.

http://www.identity-theft.org.uk/

This next link explains the sentencing policy concerning ID theft

http://www.cifas.org.uk/default.asp?edit...

ID fraud prevention

http://www.stop-idfraud.co.uk/

Metropolitan fuzz - fraud alert

http://www.met.police.uk/fraudalert/sect...

Answer 5

It's when someone uses another's personal information such as their name or Social Security or bank account number or any piece of financial information - passing it off as their own.