Using a CPN to apply for credit is considered identity theft, even if you didn’t know the number was stolen. If caught, you could face hefty fines, criminal charges, or even prison time.

Credit repair companies in the U.S. created this nine-digit number as a marketing gimmick to sell consumers stolen Social Security numbers under the guise of protecting their privacy.

Identity theft has been an ever-growing problem, but authorities say there is a new twist on an old problem for us to worry about: Synthetic identity fraud.