How did people in the past prevent identity theft? I mean before the photos and new secure technology on identity documents were available?

Question

How did people in the past prevent identity theft? I mean before the photos and new secure technology on identity documents were available?

In: 568

Answer 1

The concept of “identity theft” rather than impersonation and fraud is relatively new. Impersonation has always been a problem, but not as much of one before the widespread availability of credit cards and such. Credit card companies created the idea of “identity theft” to put the burden of dealing with it on the person being impersonated.