Identity Theft & Fraud

Thieves rummage through trashcans for pieces of unshredded personal information that they can use or sell.

Crooks seek out and steal from unattended/unlocked mailboxes to obtain pre-approved credit offers, bank statements, tax forms, and/or convenience checks.

Thieves secretly attach electronic devices on an ATM to capture numbers when customers swipe their cards. This may include a tiny camera to record the PIN number a customer enters for the transaction. The skimming device may be taped over the card reader.

A dishonest employee.

An individual who fraudulently poses as someone who had a legitimate or legal reason to access the victim's personal information (e.g., landlord, an employer, marketer, etc.).

Unfortunately, there are identity thieves who can gain legitimate access into someone's home and personal information through household work, babysitting, healthcare, friends or roommates, etc.

Stolen purses and wallets usually contain plenty of bankcards and personal identification. A thief can have a field day using this information to obtain credit under the victim's name or to sell the information to an organized-crime ring.