Identity theft is a white collar crime that has some very serious repercussions for the person accused of the crime and the alleged victim. If you have been accused of this crime, don’t waste time in getting the defense process moving forward. Identity theft charges don’t usually come until the prosecution has had time to put together a pretty strong case.
Oftentimes, the investigators will opt to interview the person they suspect has stolen someone’s identity. If this is where your case is now, you need to take the time to invoke your right to an attorney in a clear manner. The last thing you need is for something you say to come back and haunt you later.
It is imperative that you go through the case against you so that you can find out how to fight the charges. Identity theft charges can come from misunderstandings. Maybe your friend told you that you could go get money for him or her out of the ATM and then reported the card stolen to police. Or, maybe someone asked you to go cash a check for them and then said they didn’t give you permission to do so.
Interestingly, identity theft can often occur in conjunction with other criminal acts. Forgery for signing a check meant for someone else, even if that person told you to sign for them, is one example.
Many identity theft cases involve trying to take someone else’s credit worthiness, financial accounts or assets. It isn’t limited to those. Identity theft can also occur if a person tries to take another person’s health care identity. Even in this case, a swift defense is necessary.
Source: FindLaw, “Identity Theft,” accessed April 07, 2017
