Final answer:
A criminal who impersonates someone to access their financial accounts is guilty of identity theft. This crime involves using someone's personal information without permission to make unauthorized transactions and purchases, often leading to significant financial loss.
Step-by-step explanation:
A criminal who obtains personal information that allows him or her to impersonate someone else to access that person's financial accounts and make purchases is guilty of identity theft. Identity theft, sometimes known as True-name Fraud, occurs when someone wrongfully acquires and uses a consumer's personal identification, credit, or account information without their permission. This can include details such as a social security number, pin number, or password.
Identity thieves typically drain savings accounts or incur massive debts by purchasing high-value items like cars, boats, vacations, and jewelry. As individuals engage more online for social connections, business, and data storage, they increase their susceptibility to identity theft. This concern over personal information security is reflected in Pew Research Center studies, highlighting a significant rise in public anxiety about online privacy between 2009 and 2013.