A person who thinks they can get away with stealing the identity of an acquaintance may be in for a rough time if they are caught. No matter what led to their actions, they need legal protection.
In Iowa, identity theft resulting in stealing up to $1,000 means the person may be charged and held in jail until they are able to pay bail. When they face the judge, they may find out that their actions are classified as an aggravated misdemeanor.
A misdemeanor means a defendant needs legal protection
While the charges the person faces aren’t considered to be a felony, they may still want to find a lawyer to defend them. The person should not make the mistake of thinking that the charges are not that serious.
As the person’s case goes through the court system, they should avoid any other actions that could be viewed as criminal. However, the judge may sentence them to serve time in the local jail. If the person’s family relies on their paycheck, the judge may allow them to leave the jail to go to work, then go back to the jail at night.
Stealing someone’s identity, then stealing their money
Identity theft means just what it says. The person stole someone else’s identity, then got into their bank account and stole money from that account.
The person was only caught when that person was alerted by their bank or credit card company. Once the identity theft victim cut off outside access to their information, the identity thief may have been tracked down and caught.
Identity theft laws in Iowa
The identity theft laws in Iowa say that the victim may be able to sue the person who stole their identity. They may be able to recover up to three times the actual damages they suffered. They may also receive attorney fees and the court’s costs.
