Internertional Association for Healthcare Security and Safety (IAHSS) Basic Officer Certification Practice Exam

What describes when a criminal uses the victim's personal information to create or open new financial accounts in the victim's name?

1. Account hijacking

2. Credit card fraud

3. Database hacking

4. Computer viruses

The correct answer is: Account hijacking

The scenario describes account hijacking, which specifically refers to a form of identity theft where a perpetrator uses an individual's personal information to open new financial accounts or take control of existing accounts. This act usually involves gathering information such as Social Security numbers, bank account details, or other personal identifiers without the victim's consent. Account hijacking is a serious crime as it can lead to significant financial loss and damage to the victim's credit score. Unlike credit card fraud, which typically involves unauthorized transactions on existing credit cards, account hijacking entails creating new accounts entirely in the victim's name. Database hacking refers to unauthorized access to databases to steal information, and computer viruses involve malicious software intended to disrupt, damage, or gain unauthorized access to computer systems. While these can be components of broader identity theft and security breaches, they do not specifically address the scenario of creating or opening financial accounts as described in the question.