Yeah, I find that term kind of alarmist as well. Most of what people talk about as “identity theft” is really more like “money theft”.

You want identity theft, try this guy, Frédéric Bourdin. Among other things, impersonates a Texan teenager and convinces his family that he is their long lost son, even though he had different color eyes and a French accent. Plus he’s in his 30s, and already famous for impersonating children multiple times. Really amazing story.

I always thought “identity theft” was a stupid characterization of the crime. When something is thieved, you no longer have it. If my identity is stolen, am I now without an identity? Is my identity really nothing more than government- and corporate-assigned numbers? No, I think this comes closer to true identity theft.