Study on the Identity Theft in American Federal Law with an Overview to Iran Law

Identity theft that is one of the most critical crimes that has no common and acceptable definition presented for yet. Study of the elements of this crime, depends on its concept and meaning. In this article, it is attempted to define identity theft, and also to define its similar concepts, such as counterfeiting and identity fraud, in order to clarify that what is commonly mentioned as identity theft (possession of another' s identity without their consent) is actually part of a larger concept which is identity fraud. And this, in turn, is part of a larger series of crimes related to identity. A general concept that all criminal affairs related to identity are a part of an identity, is the main subject or instrument is for committing these crimes. One of the regulations that have criminalized this issue is the United States Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act. Therefore, the constituent elements of this crime and the mechanism of accessing information will be explored and a comparative study of similar titles in Iran law will be done.