Ethical Hacking Essentials Practice Test

Which form of identity theft can include selling stolen identity information for benefits such as loans and credit?

1. Social Identity Theft

2. Tax Identity Theft

3. Medical Identity Theft

4. Child Identity Theft

The correct answer is: Social Identity Theft

The correct choice, which identifies identity theft that involves the selling of stolen identity information for benefits like loans and credit, pertains to Social Identity Theft. This type refers specifically to the misuse of someone’s personal information, such as their Social Security number, to commit financial fraud. Criminals may use this information to open new credit accounts, take out loans in the victim's name, or sell this data to other criminals for similar purposes. In contrast, Tax Identity Theft revolves around the unauthorized use of someone's personal information to file fraudulent tax returns and claim refunds. Medical Identity Theft involves using someone else's identity to obtain medical services or products, which can lead to complications with health records and billing. Child Identity Theft focuses on using a child's identity for fraud, often going unnoticed for years as the child is too young to be involved in financial transactions. Each of these categories has distinct characteristics and methods of exploitation, but Social Identity Theft is specifically tied to financial gains from securing loans and credit under someone else's identity.