Is Identity Theft a Punishable Crime?

by Aaron Reynolds

Overview

Merriam-Webster defines identity theft as the illegal use of someone else's personal information, such as a Social Security number, in order to obtain money or credit. Identity theft is a punishable crime, and the severity is constantly growing harsher.
Punishment

The maximum penalty for identity theft is five years in prison. It is a federal crime. Since 2004, a new "aggravated identity theft" felony was created to combat terrorist attacks, mail fraud and individuals stealing visas or passports.

Statistics

According to essortment.com, 10 million Americans were victimized by identity theft in 2003--making it one of the fastest-growing crimes in the country.
Legislation

The Fair and Accurate Credit Transactions Act was signed into law in December 2003. The law was established to create a national system to help detect identity fraud and prevent identity theft from further escalation.
Tougher Punishments

On July 15, 2004, President George Bush signed a law, the "Identity Theft Penalty Enhancements Act," which requires tougher sentences for identity theft. The act expanded the maximum penalty--from three to five years--and added the previously noted "aggravated identity theft" offense.
Future

Identity theft continues to rise in both number of occurrences and individuals affected. The federal government is taking more precautions to raise awareness and punishment for the crime.

Overview