How Identity Theft is Accomplished

If you have never been a victim of identity theft, you are probably unaware of, or are misinformed about, how identity theft is accomplished. People who have never been victims of identity theft often think that identity theft is accomplished by strangers stealing their personal information, so that they can steal their identity.

While identity theft is sometimes accomplished by strangers, it is more often committed by people who are close to you. All it takes for your identity to be stolen is a little bit of personal information, such as an old bank statement and an old utility bill. Identity thieves can even use information that is printed on junk mail to help steal your identity.

In today’s society, not everybody knows their neighbor; people can live next door to each other for months and never even learn their neighbor’s first name. This does not mean that your neighbors are identity thieves; however, you don’t know what someone is capable of, until something bad happens. Even old grandmotherly women have been identity thieves; no matter how nice and sweet they appeared to be. How is identity theft accomplished in this case? People you might least suspect know when you are not at home. They go through your mailbox or even your garbage can looking for anything that contains personal and financial information that they can use.

When you rent a place to live, you are required to give a great deal of your personal information so that the manager can run a credit check on you. Nobody ever really stops to think about giving up that information, willingly, because it is something that has to be done. Your information could easily be stolen from the application that you have submitted, but property managers also have a key to the home you rent. Legally, they cannot enter your home without giving you advanced notice, but all it would take for them to gain access to your personal and financial information is for them to come in and take it while you are not at home.

Having roommates is another thing to think about when considering how identity theft is accomplished. When you share a house with other people, you may or may not know them as well as you think you do. When you share your house with others, they also can gain access to all of your personal and financial information. Knowing your habits, makes it easier for them to steal your identity without getting caught. All they have to do is walk into your room and find what they need.