Key Terms

Credit monitoring is a service and process that warns people about activity that shows up on their credit report.

Cyberstalking is the use of the Internet, e-mail, social media, or other electronic communications devices to stalk another person.

Identity monitoring provides alerts when personal information like bank account information or social security, driver’s license, passport, or medical identification number is being used in ways that generally will not show up on a credit report.

Identity recovery services are designed to help regain control of a name and finances after identity theft occurs.

Identity theft is the unauthorized use of an individual’s personally identifiable information to impersonate the individual and illegally use that information to commit crimes of fraud.

Identity theft insurance is offered by most major identity theft protection services; it generally covers out-of-pocket expenses directly associated with reclaiming an identity.

Identity theft protection services are monitoring and recovery services that watch for signs that an identity thief may be using personal information and helps to deal with the effects of identity theft after it happens.

Personally identifiable information (PII) is information that can be used to distinguish or trace an individual’s identity, either alone or when combined with other personal or identifying information that is linked or linkable to a specific individual.

Revenge porn is the disclosure of sexually explicit images without consent and for no legitimate purpose.

Sextortion is a crime closely related to revenge porn; however, with sextortion a person is blackmailed to not have photos or videos posted on the Internet whereas with revenge porn the dynamic is usually the opposite, victims are asked for money to remove already-posted material.