Which type of fraud occurs when a person falsely identifies themselves as another person during an investigation of a crime?

The type of fraud that involves a person falsely identifying themselves as another individual, particularly in the context of a criminal investigation, is known as criminal identity theft. This crime occurs when an individual provides the police or other law enforcement agencies with the name, date of birth, or other identifying information of another person, often to evade arrest or avoid legal consequences for their actions. The perpetrator assumes the identity of the other person, which can lead to legal troubles for the victim, including warrants for arrest or criminal records.

In contrast, business identity theft refers to the illegal use of a business's name and associated information to conduct fraudulent activities. True name fraud occurs when someone uses their true identity to commit fraud, and account takeover involves someone gaining unauthorized access to an existing account and taking control of it. These definitions clarify the specific context in which criminal identity theft operates, emphasizing how it directly relates to the misrepresentation of identity during investigations.