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identity theft
noun
: the illegal use of someone else's personal information (such as a Social Security number) especially in order to obtain money or credit
Examples of identity theft in a Sentence
How can we protect ourselves against identity theft?
Recent Examples on the Web
Last year, the agency focused about 70% of its time on tax crimes, including tax refund fraud, identity theft, cybercrimes, scams, and public corruption.
—Kelly Phillips Erb, Forbes, 12 Feb. 2025
Federal prosecutors said the exchange facilitated ransomware attacks, identity theft and other crimes.
—Anton Troianovski, New York Times, 12 Feb. 2025
Cases of identity theft have contributed to refund delays in past tax seasons.
—Kristan Hawkins, Newsweek, 6 Feb. 2025
Microsoft says users will continue to receive device protection as well as identity theft and credit monitoring features included with a Microsoft 365 subscription.
—Jibin Joseph, PCMAG, 3 Feb. 2025
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Word History
First Known Use
1964, in the meaning defined above
Dictionary Entries Near identity theft
Cite this Entry
“Identity theft.” Merriam-Webster.com Dictionary, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/identity%20theft. Accessed 20 Feb. 2025.
Legal Definition
identity theft
see theft
More from Merriam-Webster on identity theft
Britannica.com: Encyclopedia article about identity theft
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