How Thieves Get Your Information

How Thieves Get Your Information

It is quite easy for criminals to get the personal information they need. They do not need to be computer savvy or break into homes or offices. A criminal can simply "shoulder surf"—watching a victim enter a calling or credit card number into a phone keypad or eavesdropping while the victim slowly reads a credit card number aloud while making a hotel or car rental reservation.

The simplest type of identity crime is the theft of a credit card or a credit card number. The perpetrator uses the card to purchase items.
If a criminal gathers enough personal information, he or she may apply for new loans and credit cards, sometimes even purchasing big-ticket items like cars and houses.

Criminals get away with this by having bills and statements sent to an address that does not belong to the victim, keeping the victim in the dark.
Sometimes criminals scrounge through garbage cans or dumpsters to get copies of checks, credit card or bank statements, discarded applications for pre-approved credit cards, and other records.

Still other criminals steal outgoing mail from home mailboxes, hoping to find credit card payments and checks.
Criminals use the internet and e-mail to obtain personal data, including banking information and passwords. Victims unwittingly respond to phishing e-mails that ask for identifying data like account numbers and pass codes.