Which of the following could be a consequence of identity theft?

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Identity theft can trigger multiple, interconnected problems for a victim’s finances and credit. When someone abuses your information to make purchases, unauthorized charges can appear on your existing accounts, which you’ll typically notice as you review statements. They may also open new credit accounts in your name, creating accounts you didn’t authorize. Those fraudulent activities show up on your credit report and can misrepresent your true borrowing history. All of these issues together can harm your credit score, since new accounts, potential late payments, increased overall debt, and hard inquiries from lenders can all drag your score down. Because each of these outcomes can occur from the same incident, choosing all of the above best reflects the range of consequences identity theft can cause. If this happens, act quickly by reviewing statements and your credit report, and contacting creditors and credit bureaus to dispute fraudulent activity.