Stolen personal information is fuel for identity theft Many online services require users to fill in personal details such as full name, home address and credit card number. Criminals steal this data from online accounts to commit identity theft, such as using the victim's credit card or taking loans in their name.
What they want are account numbers, passwords, Social Security numbers, and other confidential information that they can use to loot your checking account or run up bills on your credit cards. Identity thieves can take out loans or obtain credit cards and even driver's licenses in your name.
Physical Theft: examples of this would be dumpster diving, mail theft, skimming, change of address, reshipping, government records, identity consolidation. Technology-Based: examples of this are phishing, pharming, DNS Cache Poisoning, wardriving, spyware, malware and viruses.
Your name, address and date of birth provide enough information to create another 'you'. An identity thief can use a number of methods to find out your personal information and will then use it to open bank accounts, take out credit cards and apply for state benefits in your name.
The easiest way to become a victim of a bank scam is to share your banking info — e.g., account numbers, PIN codes, social security number — with someone you don't know well and trust. If someone asks for sensitive banking details, proceed with caution.
Even if a thief only accesses a small amount of your personal information, they may be able to steal your identity if they can find out more about you from public sources. This includes social media accounts which may include your date of birth, photos and information about your family.
Highlights: There are a number of ways identity thieves may obtain your personal information. Fraudsters may dig through mail or trash in search of credit card or bank statements. Unsecured web sites or public Wi-Fi may allow identity thieves to access your information electronically.
If you gave the fraudster your bank account number or routing number, contact your bank or credit union immediately. You may need to close the account and open a new one. Social security number. Go ahead with a fraud alert or credit freeze and report your information stolen at the FTC's identitytheft.gov website.
Report to the FTC (Federal Trade Commission)
The Federal Trade Commission will give you an Identity Theft Report as well as a recovery plan when you do this.
Contact your police department, report the crime and obtain a police report. Decide whether you want to place a security freeze on your credit report.
This can happen through a variety of means, including hacking, fraud and trickery, phishing scams, mail theft, and data breaches. Data breaches are among the most common ways identity thieves collect personal data.
The three most common types of identity theft are financial, medical and online. Learn how you can prevent them and what to do if they happen to you.
First let's clear up one myth - giving out your bank account number and BSB is fine. "There is no issue in giving out your BSB/account details as it's only possible to deposit funds rather than withdraw funds," an ING spokesperson told Money. "If an unauthorised debit occurs then the debiting institution is liable."
With the rise of identity theft, it's essential to take the necessary steps to safeguard your personal information. One effective way to protect yourself is by changing your name. While it may seem drastic, a name change can provide an added layer of security and peace of mind.
In 2021-22: 8.1% of persons (1.7 million) experienced card fraud. 2.7% of persons (552,000) experienced a scam. 0.8% of persons (159,600) experienced identity theft.
Fraudsters can try to access your online accounts (i.e., social media or banking) using your phone number. They can send a password reset to your phone and even trick automated systems into thinking they are you.
Not only can hackers steal your credit card information, they can also steal other sensitive information such as your bank login information, social security number, and other data straight from your computer.
It's generally considered safe to give out your account number and sort code, but you should always use common sense and avoid sharing your bank details with people you don't know or expect payments from.