The U.S. Justice Department divides these statistics into two categories: identity theft and true identity theft. In identity theft, a person may obtain one’s credit card number or bank account number and make purchases, until it is noticed. In true identity theft, someone obtains a victim’s social security number, and other identifiable information, and then attempts to assume that identity for the purposes of obtaining credit cards. They then make huge purchases over a long period of time, going undetected for months or even years.