What is Identity Theft and What Risks It Poses

Identity theft also known as identity fraud, is a crime in which an imposter collects key pieces of another person’s personally identifiable information in order to impersonate someone else. Common instances include the using of a person’s name, address, Social Security number, credit card or medical insurance number to obtain money or services under the original holder’s name.

Identity Theft Types

Identity theft is classified into two types: true name and account takeover.

True-name identity theft is where the thief uses personal information to create or open new accounts which may include credit card account, or a checking account to obtain bank checks. Account takeover on the other hand, is where the thief uses personal information to gain access to a person’s existing accounts. Commonly, the thief will change an account’s mailing address and run up a large bill before the actual owner of the account realizes that there is a problem.

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The Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) is a law that allows for the disclosure of information held by public authorities. The Freedom of Information Act achieves this by requiring public officials to publish information regarding each activity they undertake as well as allowing citizens to request certain information from public authorities.

FOIA has been in place ever since the late 60s and is often described as the law that informs citizens of their government’s activities. Citizens have the right to request access to federal agency records under the FOIA unless it falls under one of the nine exemptions.

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A crime is defined as an illegal action or activity that may lead to prosecution and is punishable by law. Committing a crime could lead to serious or even lethal consequences, yet there are still people who commit even the most serious ones. So why do people commit crimes?

Some crimes may appear foolish and unbelievable at first sight. But to the person who committed the crime, this was executed because of logical reasons. The concept of ‘why’ did the person do it may be difficult to understand since the causes of crimes are complex. The only way to know them exactly is through the perpetrator himself.

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A few decades ago, maximum security prisons are not that common in the world. Facilities that are built especially for notorious criminals have greatly evolved and stronger bars seemed inadequate these days. Here are 8 prisons that are famous for their advanced security measures that are impossible to escape.

Administrative Maximum Facility (ADX), U.S.A

ADX Florence was built on Florence Colorado in 1994. This super maximum federal prison is not just considered the most secure prison in the United States, but also in the world. It is also dubbed as the safest one as inmates are kept in their cells the entire day. ADX is built on a 37-acre land that can house 490 Supermax prisoners.

This facility is specially designed for both high-profile and dangerous prisoners. About 95 percent of prisoners here have histories of aggressive behavior in other penitentiaries.

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Charles Ponzi has been the talk of the East Coast in 1920. Most investors consider him an accomplished swindler, while some a financial genius. He is famous for persuading people into investing millions with a promise of big returns. Who is Charles Ponzi and what is this fraudulent scheme derived from his own name?

Early Life

Carlo Pietro Giovanni Guglielmo Tebaldo Ponzi, or famously known as Charles Ponzi, was born on March 3, 1882, at Lugo, Italy. Just like a normal person, he started out working unusual jobs, including a waiter in a hotel and restaurant dishwasher. Ponzi became a teller at Bank Zarossi as soon as he moved to Montreal by 1907.

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Cyber crime is the act of committing a crime using a computer or the internet as an instrument. While most cyber crimes are carried out in order to generate profit for the cyber-criminals, some cyber crimes are carried out against computers or devices directly to cause damage or to destabilize them. Others, however, use computers or networks to spread malware, illegal information, images or other materials. The different types of cybercrime include committing fraud, trafficking in child pornography and intellectual property, stealing identities, or violating privacy.

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