The 17 Types of Identity Theft You Need To Know

January 1, 2024

By Hari Ravichandran

Hari Ravichandran is the CEO and founder of Aura, with over 40 approved or pending technology patents to his name. He was recognized by Forbes magazine as one of the most powerful CEOs 40 and Under in 2014 and 2015. Hari holds an MBA from the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania and a BS in Computer Engineering from Mississippi State University.

Reviewed by Alina Benny

Alina Benny leads organic content at Aura, covering the gamut of security topics for the company, including online safety, identity theft, and fraud. Before Aura, she oversaw part of Nextiva’s marketing efforts. She holds a bachelor's degree in Electronics Engineering from the Cochin University of Science and Technology and has nearly a decade in content marketing.

Nearly 40% of all Americans believe that their identities have been stolen at some point — learn the most common ways that identity thieves come after you.

How Safe Is Your Identity?

Identity theft happens when a criminal collects and uses your personal data to commit fraud and other crimes — and it happens more often than you think.

According to the latest Federal Trade Commission (FTC) data:

There were 2.6 million cases of identity theft and fraud in the first 9 months of 2023 alone.

In most cases, identity thieves use your stolen information for financial gain.

In this guide, we'll cover the most common types of identity theft you need to know about, as well as the warning signs to look out for and how to protect yourself.

The 15 Most Common Types of Identity Theft

  1. Financial identity theft and fraud
  2. Medical identity theft
  3. Child identity theft
  4. Elder fraud and estate identity theft
  5. “Friendly” or familial identity theft
  6. Employment identity theft
  7. Criminal identity theft
  8. Tax identity theft
  9. Unemployment identity theft
  10. Synthetic identity theft
  11. Identity cloning
  12. Account takeovers
  13. Social Security number identity theft
  14. Biometric ID theft
  15. Crypto account takeovers
  16. Home title theft
  17. Theft of physical IDs

How Do Criminals Steal Your Data to Commit ID Theft?

A few of the most common ways identity theft happens include:

  • Purchasing your data on the Dark Web. Data breaches have leaked billions of pieces of data to identity thieves online.
  • Tricking you with phishing phone calls, texts, and emails. Scammers will call, text, or email pretending to be an official agency like the IRS or FBI and ask you to “confirm” your details.
  • Using social media scams. A fraudster will target you on social media sites with phishing attacks or pose as a friend and ask for help with their account.
  • Posting fake job listings. An identity thief will ask for your SSN and other personal information.
  • Hacking your Wi-Fi. Public Wi-Fi is notoriously unsafe to use.
  • “Formjacking” on sites you use. Criminals use cyber attacks against unsecured websites to steal any info you submit on a form.
  • Installing Malware on your devices. Scammers send links or attachments that hide malware or other viruses.
  • Romance scams. Identity thieves use online dating sites to trick you into sending them personal information or money.
  • Tech support fraud. Some scammers pretend to be tech support.
  • Stealing your mail or wallet. Identity theft can also come from physical theft.

Did You Fall Victim To a Type of Identity Theft? Do This

If you’ve lost money or are the victim of identity theft, contact the FTC at IdentityTheft.gov and file a police report with local law enforcement. Then, you’ll have to start the process of disputing charges, fixing your records, and rebuilding your credit.

Recovering from identity theft can take months or even years.