Identity Theft
According to the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) identity theft occurs when someone, without proper permission, uses another person's personal information - their name, social security number, credit card number or other identifying information to commit fraud or other crimes.
Fraud perpetrators may, for example, use someone's user name and password to access a checking account and then transfer funds out of that account or write counterfeit checks against that account. They may also use someone's social security information to borrow funds or obtain credit cards.
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States and according to the FTC over 25 million Americans have been subject to some form of identity theft fraud.
Identity theft is not, however, a crime perpetrated only against individuals. Its victims can also be organizations such as commercial corporations, colleges and universities and any other kind of non profit or for profit organization. See, for example, Ethent Views: "Analyzing the Philadelphia Story: 1,569 Counterfeit Checks Create $4,200,000 of Losses".