Many people do not realize how easily criminals can obtain your personal data without having to break into your home. In public places criminals may engage in "shoulder surfing" ­ watching you from a nearby location as you punch in your telephone calling card number or credit card number ­or listen in on your conversation if you give your credit-card number over the telephone to a hotel or rental car company.  Most people think of their home as their “Castle”, believing they are safe inside from the criminal element.  However, this just isn’t so any more.  Some criminals engage in "dumpster diving" ­ going through your garbage cans or a communal dumpster or trash bin in an attempt to obtain copies of your checks, credit card or bank statements, or other records that typically bear your name, address, and telephone number. These types of records make it easier for criminals to get control over accounts in your name and assume your identity.  Discarded credit card applications are another way for the criminal element to steal your identity.  A criminal may try to activate a discarded “Pre- Approved” credit card application, if you threw it away without cutting it up.

In an effort to combat this increasing problem some credit card companies have adopted security measures that allow a credit card recipient to activate the card only from his or her home telephone number but this is not yet a universal practice. Also, if your mail is delivered to a place where others have ready access to it, such as an apartment complex, criminals may simply intercept and redirect your mail to another location.

With increasing numbers of people conducting business over the “Internet” and the use of  “Email” in recent years, the Internet has become an appealing place for criminals to obtain identifying data, such as passwords, credit card numbers and banking information. Many people respond to unsolicited “Emails” requesting identifying data and promising something beneficial in return and in many cases without realizing that the requester has no intention of keeping his promise.  Criminals are turning more and more to computer technology to obtain large amounts of personal data.  Most “Emails” can be intercepted and the information in them read by someone else.  Nowadays, most companies that require credit card, bank or personal information use secure server connections that encrypt the information you send them, making the information nearly impossible to read if it is intercepted.

With enough identifying information about an individual, the identity thief can take over that person's identity and conduct a wide range of crimes.  These include, but are not limited to:

1)     Making false applications for loans and credit cards.

2)     Fraudulent withdrawals from bank accounts.

3)     Fraudulent use of telephone calling cards.

4)     Obtaining other goods or privileges that the criminal might be denied if he were to use his real name.

If the criminal takes steps to ensure that bills for the falsely obtained credit cards, or bank statements showing the unauthorized withdrawals, are sent to an address other than the victim's, the victim may not become aware of what is happening until the criminal has already inflicted substantial damage on the victim's assets, credit, and reputation.