Identify theft is a term that made its first appearance in American literature in the 1990’s. This term has become one of the most concerning terms in the case of personal safety and security. While the term is actually an oxymoron, as it really isn’t possible to steal a human identity, it is in fact possible to steal the identification, bank records, medical records and other documents that relate to the personal information of one person.

The Four Classification of Identity Theft

It has been determined that there are four basic reasons that someone might steal another’s identity; the most popular type of identity theft is the financial identity theft, where the stolen identity would be used to access financial records, access banking accounts or purchase items on another person’s bank card. The second reason for identity theft is for Criminal identity theft, in this case, the criminal pretends that they are another individual in order to escape from the police. This type of crime allows for the criminal to avoid any warrants or legal troubles that are outstanding in their own name and damages the name of the individual that they are pretending to be. The third popular reason for identity theft is for Identity Cloning purposes, so that the criminal can live the day-to-day life of the individual whose identity they have stolen. The fourth and final form of identity theft, as identified by the Identity Theft Resource Center, is the Business and Commercial Identity Theft, where the criminal uses the business name to obtain credit, buy products or utilizes services under the name of the company.

Identity Theft Commercials Provide Laughter and Powerful Message

While Identity Theft is not a laughing matter, there are a few identity theft commercials that enjoy poking a bit of fun at the tragic matter. One company runs a series of identity theft commercials that show a member of one sex speaking with the opposite sex’s voice. The commercial runs words across the screen identifying the person as a victim of identity theft as the voice is talking about all the wonderful things that were bought on the credit of the individual. There are multiple formats that these identity theft commercials are shown in, each providing humor at the expense of the make-believe identity theft victim.

While the identity theft commercials are very funny, the real meaning is not lost on the audience. In fact, it is a very powerful message. The “victims” are “regular” folks that work hard for their paycheck and often do not take the time to access their credit report on an annual basis. It is often only after bill collectors contact them, that they become aware of a problem. Identity theft generally is a crime against the “average American” that is trying to make ends meet, not the big business tycoons. Unfortunately, it often takes a smaller business or an individual longer to identify a problem in their personal identification records and even longer to get the matter cleared up. This time delay leaves plenty of opportunity for the criminal to take hold of the identity and profit from the theft. The identity theft commercials help to remind everyone that criminals do not care about who they hurt and the general population is always at risk.

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