How easy would it have been to steal someone's identity in, say, 18th century Europe? | AskHistorians Archive Observer

How easy would it have been to steal someone's identity in, say, 18th century Europe?

by [deleted]

I'm curious how, without a robust system of state-issued ID, people didn't just go around saying they were other people and getting away with it?

Searocksandtrees

hi! FYI, you may be interested in a few of the posts in this section of the FAQ (link on sidebar):

Proof of Identity