Identity Theft: the latest plague to alarm the French | TF1 | Enquêtes et Révélations

It’s the fastest growing form of crime and yet the authorities have little means to fight it: identity theft. It’s a crime without violence, but whose consequences can be tragic for victims. According to experts there are more cases of stolen identity each year than burglaries or car thefts. That is more than 200,000 last year. And, on average, the cost is more than 2,000 Euros per victim. We investigated the various methods of these professional imposters and the evidence sends a chill down the spine. A widespread new trend is car registration theft. False plates, cars registered in another name: thousands of motorists drive this way so as to have their tickets sent to somebody else and the bill can often be high. Not to mention those who manage to open a bank account in your name, to spend without keeping count and leaving you to pay the bill. However, others go even further: we picked up the trail of a woman who for years has been living with the identity of somebody else! And now it’s for the victim to prove her own identity. How do such usurpers operate? How far are they prepared to go and, most importantly, how do we protect ourselves? Some of these new-style crooks begin their scams… by rummaging through our trashcans!