Until the mid eighties the crime of Identity Theft was all but unheard of.  However, with the advent of the electronic age and more people conducting business, making purchases and performing banking chores with computers, cellular telephones and electronic mail, Identity Theft is becoming more popular crime.  Surprisingly, Identity Theft was not even recognized by the Federal Government as a crime until 1998 when it passed the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. 

 More Information On Identity Theft can be Found at the Following Sites:

1)    Federal Trade Commission at http://www.consumer.gov/idtheft/

2)    Better Business Bureau at http://www.bbb.com/

3)    Privacy Rights Clearing House at Http://www.privacyrights.org/identity.htm

4)    U.S. Department of Justice at http://www.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.html

5)    Identity Theft Resource Center at http://www.idtheftcenter.org/

6)    The Massachusetts Basic Elements of Criminal Law and Police Powers of Arrest book.\

7)    The General Laws of Massachusetts at http://www.state.ma.us/legis/laws/mgl/index.htm