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Public Knowledge Center > Identity Theft |
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Identity Cloning
When a thief combines multiple forms of Identity Theft and does so on a permanent basis, it becomes a situation known as Identity "cloning". In this form of the crime, the thief does not merely assume the victim's identity sporadically, but rather completely and permanently assumes the victim's identity to literally begin a new life. The thief openly lives and works as the victim, who ultimately suffers the consequences. In many cases, the imposter may collect tax refunds due to the victim or generate substantial tax liabilities, regularly receive or exhaust government or other benefits due to the victim, obtain professional licenses, operate a business, be married, have children, sue and be sued, or file for bankruptcy -- all in the victim's name.
Common ID cloning thieves generally have a reason to hide their true identity. They are often criminals or fugitives, illegal aliens, or persons with extremely poor personal work or financial history. Just as in cases of financial identity theft, the victim whose identity is cloned may be an adult, a child, or deceased.
Once discovered, victims face an arduous task of attempting to correct records and separate the fraudulent information from their own legitimate records. Government agencies such as the Internal Revenue Service and the Social Security Administration are aware of millions of duplicate files and resultant erroneous wage reporting that stems from Identity Theft and fraud, though little is done to address it and these agencies typically only release or investigate duplicate file information after a criminal case has been initiated. For example, though the Social Security Administration was in possession of the information, it was only after the Administration finally released file information for a single ongoing criminal investigation in the state of Utah that state investigators were able to discover that the Social Security numbers of two thousand children were being used by others.
An Example of a Real Life Incident of Identity Cloning and Assumption:
The following is an excerpt of the verbal testimony of Identity Cloning victim Michelle Brown before the U.S. Senate Committee Hearing of the Judiciary Subcommittee on Technology, Terrorism and Government Information - "Identity Theft: How to Protect and Restore Your Good Name", July 12, 2000
"To summarize, over a year and a half from January 1998 through July 1999, one individual impersonated me to procure over $50,000 in goods and services. Not only did she damage my credit, but she escalated her crimes to a level that I never truly expected: she engaged in drug trafficking. The crime resulted in my erroneous arrest record, a warrant out for my arrest, and eventually, a prison record when she was booked under my name as an inmate in the Chicago Federal Prison.
The impersonation began with the perpetrator's theft of my rental application from my landlord's property management office in January 1998. Immediately, the perpetrator set up cellular service, followed by residential telephone and other utility services, attempted to obtain timeshare financing and department store credit cards, purchased a $32,000 truck, had nearly $5,000 worth of liposuction performed to her body, and even rented properties in my name including signing a year lease. Not only did this person defraud the Department of Motor Vehicles in obtaining a duplicate drivers' license (with my name and number) in October 1998, but she even presented herself as me with this identification to the DEA and before a federal judge when she was caught trafficking 3,000 pounds of marijuana in May 1999.
She remained a fugitive for almost 6 months while still assuming my name - and was finally turned in by an acquaintance in July 1999.
Months later - in September 1999 - I was stopped at LAX's Customs after returning from a vacation in Mexico (after she was already in prison). While I explained my innocence to several agents in a stream of tears, and as I attempted to clearly distinguish this Michelle Brown from the "other Michelle Brown" with a criminal record, I was blatantly treated with strong suspicion. I was, as is typical for an identity fraud victim, guilty until proven innocent. I was finally let go after an hour, after the police were called to vouch for me. This situation reinforced my fear that I may be wrongly identified as the criminal, which could end up with my arrest, or worse yet, being taken into custody to serve time in jail. After having seen so many inefficiencies and blatant errors in the system, I feel no assurance nor can I receive any concrete evidence from authorities that this type of insane mix-up would never happen again.
It was tormenting to know someone was in essence living the good life at my expense, and I was left in the dust with the taxing chore of proving my innocence. The restoration of my credit and my good name was a seemingly never-ending process. I was forced to make literally thousands of phone calls, fill out various forms, submit all sorts of documents, and have many documents notarized. Without a doubt, I was entirely consumed with the whole painstaking process. I gained nothing from putting over 500 hours into the chore of restoration; all in all, it was an exhausting waste of a good person's time and a massive drain on my life and energy. At one point, I even feared my safety after I learned that the perpetrator had previously been linked with a convicted murderer. The whole identity fraud experience was, by far, the darkest, most challenging and terrifying chapter of my life.
I faced many difficulties in clearing my name, and I still face the fear that I will forever be linked with the perpetrator's criminal record. I have encountered widespread inefficiency and general insensitivity at nearly every turn, and know that there are most definitely not enough dedicated resources and governmental authorities to assist victims and to simplify the burden on the innocent's life."
- Michelle Brown
©Copyright 2008 by Michael Barnett. All rights reserved. Unauthorized use, copying, or distribution without permission is prohibited.
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