Identity fraud is a crime where one person uses another person's personal data, without authorization, to deceive or defraud someone else. For example, it is identity fraud to use someone's personal information to open a credit card account without permission, and then charge merchandise to that account. Identity fraud does not occur when a credit card is simply stolen; that may be consumer fraud, but is not identity fraud. Identity fraud is a synonym of unlawful identity change. It indicates unlawful activities that use the identity of another person or of a non-existing person fraudulently.