Passport Identity Theft

Passport identity theft is another growing area of international crime. Your passport is one of the most important proofs of your identity and many countries require you to carry one with you in order to enter or cross their borders. Thieves are well aware of the importance of passports and the price they can fetch in black markets, so many tourists are now a prime target for them.

Authors including Frederick Forsyth (author of The Jackal) have used passport identity theft as a plot. In The Jackal, an assassin scours the cemetery for the grave of a child who was born around the same time. He then uses that name to apply for a passport. In the book, the story takes place in 1963 before the computer advancements of today. In today's world of computer, electronic data matching of records would make it much more difficult for an identity thief to apply for a passport since it is easier to match births and deaths.

But as many loopholes as the authorities close, identity thieves are still able to find ways to circumvent them. In a slightly different version of Forsyth's idea, identity thieves tried to use the identity of disabled individuals in New Zealand, assuming that it was unlikely for them to apply for a passport. Identity thieves believe that the "real" persons would never realize there was a passport issued in their name.

Because of the value of passports, there are black markets in many countries copying and reproducing passports. Another scenario is to steal real passports and then modify some of the information, such as inserting a different picture. These altered passports are often used by illegal immigrants.

Government officials have been combating passport identity theft by changing the passport design and publishing procedures for checking passports at border crossings. More time and money have been spent on this subject in recent years due to terrorist concerns. Some nations have begun to insert data chips in the passports of their citizens. Countries are also exchanging more information on people suspected of identity theft, details on modifying passports and improvements in passport checking procedures.

If you lose your passport while traveling abroad, contact your country's embassy immediately. There is a real chance your passport will be altered and misused and you don't want to be charged with a crime on foreign soil. You will be issued a temporary passport in order to continue your trip. This will take several day, with the local police investigating the theft.

You can reduce the possibility of having your passport stolen:

When in a foreign country, if you keep your passport with you at all times, use a money belt underneath your shirt. It's also a great place to stash most of your cash and other valuables.

Never keep your passport in a bag or purse because they can be easily and quickly stolen.

You can also leave your passport locked in the hotel safe. Actually, some countries require you to give your passport to the hotel so the police have access to inspect them at any time.