We are all proud of our name, our background and our accomplishments. Each one of us is unique. We each have our very own distinct identity.

We have all been annoyed when someone took credit for something we did. A coach, teacher, parent or boss may have misunderstood, more than the problem being the other person who got all the credit. You are just annoyed that they bask in the glory of the moment when you think they really should turn and deflect at least some of the credit on to you. You soon learn its part of life, and to ?just get over it? and move on. It usually doesn't really matter in the big picture.

The problem becomes much more serious when your identity is not just accidently taken, but is actually deliberately stolen and used for profit by someone else. Worse, there may be serious consequences for you personally. You may incur a black mark placed against your reputation, or even legal issues in the form of a criminal record.

You could face severe difficulties just getting on with the routines of your life. Insurance companies, banks, and lending companies may not want to do business with you - or they may impose tough terms. You may find it difficult to get employment. It may be hard for you to buy a home. Foreign countries may not allow you as a visitor if the records show you are a criminal. You could face large bills from having to engage identity theft lawyers to protect your identity.

You may well have every right to feel angry. These kinds of identity theft are crimes, and you become a victim of crime. Nevertheless, the processes to recover your losses and put your reputation right will probably move very slowly, and perhaps at great emotional cost and financial cost to you.

The problem for those in leadership is deciding who, in fact, is the perpetrator of identity theft - you or the thief. Put yourself in their position: both you and the identity thief seem to be the same individual. We all have rights, even thieves wanting to be you. We are all assumed to be innocent until proven guilty under our legal system. Until you or an investigator can show clear evidence one way or the other, and until those in charge accept you are the ?real? you, and what you have or have not done, then you may feel under suspicion as the thief yourself. You may find it necessary to engage an identity theft attorney. Expect to be somewhat angry as the wheels of justice slowly grind away to sort out these questions. And expect it may take a long time to fully clear your reputation of the damage an identity thief can do to you.

It is very smart to take what steps you reasonably can to prevent your identity from being stolen in the first place.