Criminal identity theft is the concept involving someone stealing your personal information. It is then used for them to gain a new identity that may involve working under your social security number and getting a driver's license with your information.

They are an imposter but possess personal effects with your information so when they are involved in issues they give law enforcement your information instead of their own. Since they have photo identification with them the law enforcement agency has no reason to question the information they are providing.

This can create quite a few issues for the real person that the information belongs to. If the imposter skips out on bail then the bail bonds company may come after the real owner of the information for the collateral that is due. If the person using the fake identity is convicted of a felony charge it will show up on a background check by potential employers when the real person applies for jobs.

In some instances a person has been pulled over for speeding and very shaken up when they were arrested at the scene. This is because when the officer ran the person's information it came back with a warrant attached to it that actually is the result of activities involving the imposter. They could also find out they don't have a driver's license anymore because the imposter was charged with a DUI under their information.

The process of getting your identity back from such situations takes time and money. In the mean time it can tie up your assets, affect your ability to maintain employment, and cause you to serve time in a jail cell. Criminal identity theft can cause more damage to someone then identity theft that simply involves financial loss. Your best chances of being successful involve hiring an attorney that specializes in the investigations of criminal identity theft cases.