This time, let’s round up five of the most common types of ID theft scams. Knowing these will help you recognize the unusual symptoms that occur when you or someone you care about becomes a victim of identity fraud. The pernicious thing about identity theft is that the fallout for the victim can occur weeks, months or years after the fraudster commits actual crimes, but in many cases the warning signs – unusual mail, credit fluctuations and phone calls – come about much sooner. An identity theft prevention system such as LifeLock can help you detect these problems faster.

Identity Cloning: In this scenario the criminal tries to duplicate your identity thoroughly enough to live another life with it. This is often used by fugitives who need another identity to stay at large, so they can rent an apartment, get a bank account and otherwise blend in. Signs include unusual mail and phone calls from a variety of sources, including banks and government agencies, or missing mail that’s been routed to the fraudster’s address.

Illegal Account Access: One of the basic forms of identity theft, this simply consists of criminals using your credit cards and bank accounts with stolen or forged credentials. This includes forged signatures on checks, PIN theft and other well-known forms of theft and fraud. Unusual account activity is far and away the most common sign of this crime in progress, so it’s always a good idea to track your spending separately, keep your receipts, and check everything against account statements.

Illegal Account Creation: The next step up from breaking into a victim’s account is to use his or her information to create entirely new accounts, including credit cards, lines of credit and even mortgage loans. Warning signs include unfamiliar statements and threatening letters from creditors that appear out of the blue

Mass Identity Theft: ID theft is often committed by rings of professional criminals. They work full time gathering personal information that they sell to third parties, who then apply for credit cards and loans, or use to construct entirely new identities. Look for reports of identity theft in your area or online social networks, combined with unusual mail or personal account activity.

Synthetic Identity Theft: In this scam, criminals try to create unique false identities with stolen personal information from one or more people, including Social Security numbers, credit history, contact information (addresses, phone numbers, etc.) and more. Signs include getting mail or phone calls directed toward the wrong name, especially if it has to do with financial information.