When it comes to identity theft, most people think of a person stealing personal information, like bank account numbers. While this is one type of identity theft, there are actually many kinds of identity theft that one can commit. Indiana residents who have been charged with identity theft can benefit from understanding this specific type of theft with which they’re being charged.

MEDICAL IDENTITY THEFT

Criminal laws make it illegal for any person other than the policyholder to obtain covered medical services from his or her insurance company. In cases of medical identity theft, a thief will steal a person’s medical information with the intent of obtaining either medical care or access to medical records. If he or she uses a person’s health insurance to obtain medication or other medical care, that also is referred to as insurance identity theft.

TAX IDENTITY THEFT

Tax identity theft happens when someone steals another individual’s Social Security number (SSN) and uses it to get a tax refund. This type of theft could also happen to businesses that get their employer identification numbers stolen. In most cases of tax identity theft, the victim doesn’t realize it happened until he or she goes to file his or her tax return and receives the message that it has already been submitted.

SOCIAL SECURITY IDENTITY THEFT

A person’s SSN is a very valuable piece of information that is used to obtain things like credit cards and set up health insurance policies. Social Security identity theft happens when an individual steals someone’s SSN. Many times, this type of theft is committed by people on the phone stating that they are from the Social Security Administration when they truly are not.

As you can see, identity theft can happen in several different ways. Depending on the thief’s specific goal, the way that the identity information is obtained and what it is used for will differ. If you’ve recently been charged with identity theft, it’s important to seek legal counsel to help fight the charges.