Mistaken Identity - possible effects

[gazania]

In this our technological age, mistaken or stolen identity is a very serious matter.  Has this happened to any of our ancestors? And what were the repercussions?

My great aunt was a teacher in Queensland in the era when teachers were subject to compulsory transfers around the State.  I obtained her employment record but did not at first check closely the dates of events as most of the places she served were known to me.  However, a closer inspection of the earlier dates, clearly showed appointments well before my great aunt had migrated, and when she was clearly living with her family in the UK on the 1881 census.

It is now obvious that some clerk has confused my great aunt's record with someone of the same name and just tacked it on which made some sense chronologically.  I now wonder if this bureaucratic error affected her career and her standing in the teaching service.  A book has been published about local teachers and my great aunt was named as a bit of a rebel for objecting to some transfers.

I have yet to research the other teacher with the same name and see why her file was not closed off. 

Any thoughts?

[jim1]

I have an 1825 Army discharge document that gives a physical description of the pensioner "to prevent any improper use being made of this discharge by it's falling into other hands ". So obviously a problem with pension fraud at the time.
Nothing's new is it.

[medpat]

In Victorian times you could be hanged for impersonating a Chelsea pensioner.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1203828/The-222-Victorian-crimes-man-hanged.html

[JayNQ]

Thank you both for the information.  I shall look at my ancestors' records more closely.  May find more insights.  Gazania