Masked Realities

From phishing and identity theft to in-person fraud and dummy candidates, impersonation crimes are eroding public trust, breaching financial security, and undermining institutional integrity

- RAAVI BIRBAL

Forms of impersonation are unfortunately much more widely used in the digital age. People globally are often vulnerable to such crimes, which may be in physical form or through electronic means.

Impersonation has various forms. For instance, one can be guilty of indulging in "phishing," which refers to activities that involve impersonating an individual or entity to fraudulently trick people. Usually, culprits try to get victims to reveal sensitive identity or financial information or unwittingly download a program that damages a computer or network. In such a case, an impersonator may send an email or make a phone call pretending to be a co-worker, representative, etc. He may also create a phony website, mobile device app, or social media account meant to look like it's from a legitimate person or company.

Then there is account takeover. In such a scenario, an impersonator may break into someone's online account and use it as though it is genuine. They may do so to steal money, sensitive information, etc., or to shield their real identity while committing crimes such as threatening or harassing other users, or act in ways meant to embarrass or defame the account's actual owner, or for other ulterior motives.

In-person impersonation is the physical form of impersonation. Culprits change how they look, dress, speak, or act in real life to appear as though they were someone else. They may also create a fake identity or false, fabricated documents to make the ruse even more believable.