Identity theft is a practice that has been the cause of many problems in recent years. In a case of identity theft, the perpetrator, called a thief, takes some part of a person's identity and uses it against their will. As online sales and online banking grow increasingly popular, identity theft has become almost commonplace on the Internet. For victims of identity theft, the results of this type of crime has the potential to yield significant damages to their financial wellbeing. Along with a person's identity, the thief obtains the ability to use credit cards, bank accounts, and other resources that belong to the person, even to the point of unresolvable debts. From a legal perspective, any level of identity theft is criminally punishable. In fact, the recent enactment if the Identity Theft Act has made it a federal crime to steal another person's identity.