Identity Theft And Assumptions Deterrence Act Of 1998

Cyber and computer crimes is becoming a growing threat as modern society continues to immerse itself further into a digital lifestyle. Criminals are now adapting to the digital criminal life style for its efficient and anonymous access. Law enforcement officials constantly have to play catch up due to the speed in which cybercrimes are evolving. Just obtaining a computer that is suspected in a crime is requires specific training for its search and seizure. The general public must also be aware of potential crimes so as to not fall victim to them or to unwittingly commit them as well. As criminals adapt to this digital lifestyle, so will political terrorist in waging war with their rivals. As criminal efforts continue to evolve in a digital

In the year 2012, the Bureau of Justice Statistics reported that one in fourteen Americans or close to seventeen million was the target of identity theft which totaled in $24.7 billion in damages (BJS as cited by Winograd, 2013). Identity Theft and Assumptions Deterrence Act of 1998 describes identity theft as a federal crime to knowingly transfer or use, without lawful authorization, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any activity that constitutes a violation of federal law, or constitutes a felony under any applicable state or local law (Siegel & Worrell, 2012). Identity theft can be either true name (the use of an actual person’s identity) or a synthetic identity (the use of a fictions person’s name or Social Security number) (Gardner & Anderson, 2015). Most victims of identity theft recover their losses directly from the bank; the banks see this as a cost of doing business and possible cheaper than providing a completely secure banking system. Victims also recognize identity theft as an inevitable episode that would result from the privilege of instant access to bank accounts and online shopping. This makes victims of identity theft compliant and arguably willing victims of this type of theft; knowing that it’s only a matter of time before it happens but assured that the losses will be reimbursed. Furthermore, the trend of social media encourages its members to divulge intimate details of their lives. The use of the Internet for business and financial transactions, social networking, and the storage of personal information has made it all too easy for thieves to do what they do best (Cassim, 2015). Identity theft is difficult to prosecute for a number of reasons as described by Gogolin and Jones