PERSONAL identity theft is the illegal use of personal identifying information such as name, address, Social Security number, driver's license number, mother's maiden name, or date of birth to commit misdemeanors, or felonies. The mother's maiden name is the key piece of information needed by a criminal to obtain a birth certificate, called a breeder document, in the victim's name. The perpetrator uses the birth certificate to obtain a complete set of documents such as Social Security card, passport, and driver's license.

BUSINESS identity theft is the illegal use of proprietary business information and assets, including credit card numbers, bank account numbers, federal tax numbers, e-business websites and telephone numbers. Perpetrators use this information to access credit card and financial accounts, apply for Small Business or other loans, clone websites to obtain customers' identities, or for telephone scams.

Source: Identity Theft First Responder Manual for Criminal Justice Professionals