Someone Had Taken Over My Life: A Rhetorical Analysis

769 Words2 Pages

Identity theft is an issue that is currently not getting enough attention from law enforcement, and the criminals are getting small sentences such as parole and community service. Since the consequences for the criminal is small, many violent criminals are now moving on to identity theft because they know that it will be harder for law enforcement to investigate without proper resources. Many people in today’s society do not realize how terrible the consequences of identity theft are, such as financial problems and credit issues. In Laura Shin’s article “Someone Had Taken Over My Life: An Identity Theft Victim’s Story” from the November 18, 2014 Forbes Magazine, she effectively uses pathos and logos throughout the entire text to explain how …show more content…

The author answers many difficult questions that a person may have while learning about this issue. She warns her audience about the time consuming recovery process, saying how there are, “400 steps you have to do,” and goes on to say, “You’re just on your own.” It is hard for many victims to get the help they desperately need, since law enforcement simply does not have the time to investigate all of the numerous identity theft cases. Shin provides great advice for people who suspect they are dealing with an identity theft criminal and says to, “Take meticulous notes: the date, who you talked to, what they said. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve had to refer back to my notes.” She explains how taking notes can help the victim take control of the situation and stay ahead of the criminal. Although it may seem like the world is coming to an end, Shin explains how it only takes one mistake for the criminal to blow their whole cover. She says, ”And when she signed up for a utility or phone, she used her name. Since it was linked to my Social Security Number, it updated it with fraudulent information.” Although these life ruining people are criminals, they are still just normal people who make mistakes and will end up being

Open Document