False identity refers to the use of a false name and personal documents by someone to deceive others, often to conceal their true identity or to commit fraud
. It involves pretending to be someone else or assuming a fabricated identity, which can include combining real and fictitious information to create a synthetic identity
. In practical terms, false identity is commonly used in criminal activities such as applying for credit or loans under false information, opening bank accounts fraudulently, money laundering, and managing large-scale fraud rings
. Fraudsters may use stolen data like social security numbers, especially those of children, to build these false identities because they offer a "blank slate" with little financial history
. From a social and psychological perspective, false identity can also mean an individual pretending to be something they are not, which can lead to shame, loss of respect, and hinder personal development
. Philosophically, false identity may be viewed as the illusion of self shaped by distorted thoughts and experiences, masking one's true nature
. In summary, false identity is both a legal/criminal concept involving deception through fabricated personal information and a broader social/psychological concept relating to misrepresentation of oneself
