When Someone Uses Your Name

In California, willfully obtaining someone's personal identifying information and using it for any unlawful purpose, including to get credit, goods, services, real property or medical information without their consent, is punishable by a fine, up to one year in county jail, or both, or by a felony term under the realignment statute.

• §Penal Code 530.5

The record clears the person named. When someone uses another person's identifying information to commit a further crime and is convicted of it, the court records show that the person whose identity was used did not commit that crime.

• §Penal Code 530.5

• Acquiring or keeping another person's identifying information with intent to defraud is an offense, and a felony term is possible after a prior conviction or for the information of 10 or more people.
• Selling or transferring it with intent to defraud is an offense too.
• Mail theft is punishable under the same section.

• §Penal Code 530.5