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Financial Literacy: Identity Theft

Terms

Identity Theft words and definitions

Identity Theft

Stealing the identity of someone else. Pretending to be someone else by using their name, credit card, driving license, social security number or other personal ID number. This can even mean taking the name of someone who is dead.

Robber

A person who steals money, jewelry, merchandise or other valuables.
Example: I heard that a robber went into the bank and told the bank teller to give him all the cash.

Burglar

A person who uses force to break into a house or a shop to steal something.
Example: We asked our landlord for a burglar alarm, after a burglar broke the lock of our neighbor's apartment and took his computer.

Thief

A person who steals something (like a robber or a burglar) and does this secretly.

Pickpocket

A person who takes money or a wallet out of someone's pocket.
Example: You need to be careful of pickpocketing in crowded places. When I was riding the bus last night, some of the other passengers pushed me, and then got off the bus. Then I realized that my wallet wasn't in my coat pocket. Those passengers were pickpockets.

Victim

A person who is hurt by another person's actions.
Examples: After the car hit the bicycle, the driver didn't stop. The man on the bike was a victim of a "hit and run" driver.
Mrs. Lee was in a hurry and forgot her credit card at the supermarket. When Joe found it, he should have turned it in to the store manager. Instead, Joe took the credit card and used it to buy a TV. Joe is an identity thief and Mrs. Lee is the victim.
When I received my monthly credit card bill, I realized someone else must have stolen my credit card information. I was the victim of identity theft.

to Steal

To take something that belongs to someone else, without asking them.
Examples: If you leave your cell phone on the table, someone might steal it.
Mary's phone was stolen last week.
Yesterday, someone stole my purse out of my car while I was mailing a letter.
At school, students put their books in lockers to prevent stealing.

to Cheat

Not follow the rules; pretend that someone else's work is your work.
Examples: Linda didn't know the answer for the question on her math exam. She looked at Tom's paper, and copied his answer on her exam. This was cheating, because Linda wasn't doing her own work.
Carlos is married, but he also has a girlfriend. He is cheating on his wife.

to Lie/Lying

Not being honest. Not telling the truth.
Examples: When we bought a used car from Kevin, he told us the tires were new. Actually the tires were 5 years old and Kevin was lying. My husband called him on the phone and said "You lied to us about the tires."
My mother taught me to never tell a lie.