15 Ways Identity Thieves Steal Your Information

Identity thieves are hatching new ways of stealing information everyday. The more technology advances, the more they find a way to use it to their advantage. If you want to avoid identity theft, you need to know what to look out for. Here are 15 common ways identity thieves steal your information.

1. Dumpster diving- Thieves will steal your information from paperwork that hasn’t been properly disposed of. They may dig through your trash, company dumpsters, or even the city dump looking for personal information.
2. Phishing and Pretexting- These are similar methods of identity theft. Pretexting is where a person pretending to be with a legitimate company, like your insurance company, will call and try to get you to verify your account numbers or even your SSN. Phishing is basically the same except the thief will send you an email instead of calling you.
3. Shoulder surfing- This is where the thief will look over your shoulder when making transactions, at the ATM for example. They may even use devices like cell phones to record you without your knowledge.
4. Social Network Websites- While most adults are careful about the information they post on sites like MySpace, several teenagers and even some unknowing adults put them selves at risk of identity theft everyday. Identity thieves find names, addresses, and even birthdates on popular sites and use them to commit identity fraud.
   
5. File Sharing or Peer to Peer Software- The people accessing your music files also have access to other files on your computer.
6. Bogus Job Offers- Thieves will place fake employment ads and get you to fill out an application, including your social security number.
7. Fake sweepstakes or lotteries- These offers are usually sent by email and claim that you’ve won the Canadian lottery or some other sweepstakes that you’ve never actually entered.
8. Hacking- If you’re computer isn’t properly secured, a hacker can get access to all of the information you have stored. Hackers also get information by hacking the computer systems of organizations to get large quantities of information at once.
9. Stealing mail- This is similar to dumpster diving, except the thieves will actually steal your mail directly from your mailbox. They steal bank statements, pre-approved credit card offers, etc.
10. Lost or stolen personal items- It’s pretty obvious how thieves steal your identity by stealing your wallet, PDA, or laptop. The same goes when you lose your personal items.
11. Working in your home- This may be one of the most invasive ways to get information. Contractors or other workers may find and use account numbers or other information you have out in plain view.
12. Changing your address- The thief will often forge your signature to have your mail forwarded to another address. They will then get information from your bank statements, or they may apply for your pre-approved credit card offers.
13. Copying information during transactions- Dishonest company employees will sometimes steal your credit card information while processing your transactions. They can do this when you’re at the company or when you give your information over the phone.
14. Credit report- Thieves may pose as a potential employer or landlord to get a copy of your credit report. They can find out a lot of your information this way.
15. Reading RFID- RFID stands for radio frequency identification. RFID tags can be found on certain credit cards and other types of cards. Thieves build RFID readers that, if within proper range of you, can get the information off of your card.

While this list represents several common ways identity thieves get your information, it’s by no means complete. There are hundreds of ways identity theft happens, with new ways being invented by thieves all of the time. The best way to protect your self from identity theft is to stay informed and be careful about giving any personal information out.