<P> The increase in crimes of identity theft led to the drafting of the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act . In 1998 , The Federal Trade Commission appeared before the United States Senate . The FTC discussed crimes which exploit consumer credit to commit loan fraud , mortgage fraud , lines - of - credit fraud , credit card fraud , commodities and services frauds . The Identity Theft Deterrence Act ( 2003 ) ( ITADA ) amended U.S. Code Title 18 , § 1028 ( `` Fraud related to activity in connection with identification documents , authentication features , and information '' ) . The statute now makes the possession of any `` means of identification '' to `` knowingly transfer , possess , or use without lawful authority '' a federal crime , alongside unlawful possession of identification documents . However , for federal jurisdiction to prosecute , the crime must include an `` identification document '' that either : ( a ) is purportedly issued by the United States , ( b ) is used or intended to defraud the United States , ( c ) is sent through the mail , or ( d ) is used in a manner that affects interstate or foreign commerce . See 18 U.S.C. § 1028 ( c ) . Punishment can be up to 5 , 15 , 20 , or 30 years in federal prison , plus fines , depending on the underlying crime per 18 U.S.C. § 1028 ( b ) . In addition , punishments for the unlawful use of a `` means of identification '' were strengthened in § 1028A ( `` Aggravated Identity Theft '' ) , allowing for a consecutive sentence under specific enumerated felony violations as defined in § 1028A ( c ) ( 1 ) through ( 11 ) . </P>
<P> The increase in crimes of identity theft led to the drafting of the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act . In 1998 , The Federal Trade Commission appeared before the United States Senate . The FTC discussed crimes which exploit consumer credit to commit loan fraud , mortgage fraud , lines - of - credit fraud , credit card fraud , commodities and services frauds . The Identity Theft Deterrence Act ( 2003 ) ( ITADA ) amended U.S. Code Title 18 , § 1028 ( `` Fraud related to activity in connection with identification documents , authentication features , and information '' ) . The statute now makes the possession of any `` means of identification '' to `` knowingly transfer , possess , or use without lawful authority '' a federal crime , alongside unlawful possession of identification documents . However , for federal jurisdiction to prosecute , the crime must include an `` identification document '' that either : ( a ) is purportedly issued by the United States , ( b ) is used or intended to defraud the United States , ( c ) is sent through the mail , or ( d ) is used in a manner that affects interstate or foreign commerce . See 18 U.S.C. § 1028 ( c ) . Punishment can be up to 5 , 15 , 20 , or 30 years in federal prison , plus fines , depending on the underlying crime per 18 U.S.C. § 1028 ( b ) . In addition , punishments for the unlawful use of a `` means of identification '' were strengthened in § 1028A ( `` Aggravated Identity Theft '' ) , allowing for a consecutive sentence under specific enumerated felony violations as defined in § 1028A ( c ) ( 1 ) through ( 11 ) . </P>
when did identity theft become a federal crime
when did identity theft become a federal crime
2003
2003