Driver's License Identity Theft - South Florida Tribune

Driver’s License Identity Theft

Imagine that because of technology, someone creates a drivers license, using your information on the license, and inserting their picture! What can be done with it? Your license is used for traffic stops. What if you receive a ticket and your license information was used. Could your insurance possibly increase or suspend your license? If an accident, could that accident cause you to be sued by another person? According to the Wall Street Journal, driver’s license data for around 10.9 million Americans was compromised during the breach of Equifax Inc.’s systems..

The license information was accessed by hackers (Equifax Breach 2017) who also took vital personal information, including Social Security numbers, of potentially 145.5 million Americans. Not all those people would have had license information in Equifax’s system. According to ploicygenius.com, “An imposter can give your license number at a traffic stop, making you liable for the violation. If the ticket goes unpaid long enough, a judge could wind up issuing a bench warrant for your arrest.” Watch this victim’s story: https://www.wfmynews2.com/video/news/local/triad-woman-identity-stolen-used-in-traffic-stops/83-35d51b72-e069-4195-a5f3-f4460633b3cc?jwsource=cl

Hackers could also use your driver’s license to create a synthetic identity. Synthetic identities combine real stolen data from several sources with fake information (your driver’s license, for example, plus someone else’s Social Security number, plus a made-up name or birthdate) and synthetic identity theft occurs when someone uses that persona to commit fraud. Synthetic ID theft is harder to spot than boilerplate identity theft, given it doesn’t match anyone’s exact credentials.”

The Federal Trade Commission has a 14-page document entitled Florida Identity Theft Kit with steps on how to resolve your identity theft case. You may find that resource at http://myfloridalegal.com/webfiles.nsf/WF/RMAS-APTJ26/$file/idkitprintable.pdf

The best plan? Be proactive. If a thief damages your good name, wouldn’t you want a professional who knows what to do, do the work for you?

References:

https://www.wfmynews2.com/