{"id":352435,"date":"2014-10-22T06:00:46","date_gmt":"2014-10-22T12:00:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.creditrepair.com\/blog\/?p=352435"},"modified":"2022-03-30T20:05:41","modified_gmt":"2022-03-31T02:05:41","slug":"ways-credit-thieves-steal-your-information","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.creditrepair.com\/blog\/identity-theft\/ways-credit-thieves-steal-your-information\/","title":{"rendered":"Ways Credit Thieves Steal Your Information"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"shutterstock_131307074\"In the old days, thieves could glean your credit card number by dumpster diving and fishing the digits out of the trash. However, in the digital age, everyone, including the crooks, is ramping up their game in an ever-more sophisticated arms race to protect or steal your private information.<\/p>\n

Over the 2013-2014 holiday season, hackers used a phishing scam to attack payment terminals installed at Target store registers and found a back way into Target\u2019s entire data system. Ultimately, 40 million people had their credit card numbers stolen, and another 70 million had their identity information, birthdates, addresses, etc. compromised<\/a>. Target wasn\u2019t the only firm hit by identity thieves, either. In the last year Sony and Citibank had their systems broken into by cyber-criminals. Even an \u201cexpert\u201d security company like RSA isn\u2019t immune; RSA\u2019s SecurID system was hacked into in 2011, an embarrassing breach that cost RSA $66 million to fix.<\/p>\n

Data thieves steal your personal information for only one reason: there\u2019s money in it. If someone can get their hands on your credit card number, your personal data (date of birth, address, relatives\u2019 names, etc.), your Social Security Number, or your passwords, they may not only use the data themselves, but there are others who will pay them for it. Stealing data can come in many forms, some of them low-tech and obvious, others breathtakingly sophisticated. Here are some of the most common ways that credit-thieves will steal your information, and what you can do to safeguard against it.<\/p>\n

Physical Theft<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

The old snatch and grab remains a popular way to steal someone\u2019s identity info. So anytime you stop for gas, be sure your windows are rolled up far enough to prevent someone from reaching in and taking your purse. Make certain your windows are up and all doors are locked. If you have valuables in the car like a wallet or your phone, keep them out of sight. Old-fashioned pickpockets are still out there, too, so keep your wallet somewhere that\u2019s not easily accessible to thieves.<\/p>\n

Using Change of Address Forms<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

If a thief knows your name and address, he\/she can submit a change of address form using your information. The thief will then get all of your mail until you can sort out the situation, including documents like credit card and bank statements. So pay attention to what arrives in your mailbox. If you get a change of address notice in your mail, act immediately. One way to avoid this is to go paperless, and have your statements sent electronically. Also, if it seems like it\u2019s taking too long for a credit card statement to arrive, contact the issuing company.<\/p>\n

Phony Calls and Phishing Scams<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

In this scenario, a thief calls you, pretending to be from your credit card issuer, and asks you to verify your personal ID data. Don\u2019t fall for this one, because as soon as you hang up from talking with \u201cBob from AmEx\u201d, he\u2019ll telephone AmEx pretending to be you. If you get such a call supposedly from your credit card company, simply hang up. Your credit card company will not contact you for this information because they already have it. After receiving such a call, get in touch with your credit card company immediately. The same goes for phishing e-mails that pretend to be from your credit card issuer, or eBay, or any other business that has your personal info. In the case of spoofing e-mails, contact the company immediately, and forward the e-mail you were sent. It\u2019s very important that you deal with these problems immediately. Don\u2019t simply ignore them or delete them. Report the phony call or the phishing scam to the business being impersonated.<\/p>\n

Credit Card Skimming While Shopping or Dining<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Whenever you\u2019re out in public having a meal or shopping, your personal data could be exposed. For instance, after you\u2019ve given your server your credit or debit card to pay for dinner, the server disappears to swipe your card to create your receipt. But, what if your server is also a cyber-thief and swipes your card on a little device called a skimmer that attaches to a smart phone? This technology is incredibly cheap; you can buy one of these devices on Amazon for as little as $6-7, which may be one reason why 70% of card skimming occurs in restaurants. Once your card has been swiped, your data is stored for re-use or resale to someone who will clone the information gleaned from the card\u2019s magnetic strip to a new card. To avoid being ripped off like this, avoid businesses where you can\u2019t see your card being swiped, and deal with a credit card provider that will call, e-mail, or text you immediately when there is suspicious activity on your credit card.<\/p>\n

Fake Skimmers or Camera for Data Harvesting<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

The ingenuity of cyber-criminals know no bounds. Sometimes crooks will attach an extra credit card reader to the outside of those pay at the pump gas pumps, or attach a tiny camera that will record your info visually. The skimmer sends a Bluetooth signal to a laptop, where the crook harvests the data encoded in the magnetic strip. To prevent this, try to avoid swiping your card at unattended credit card readers, or anything that looks suspicious.<\/p>\n

Protecting Yourself From Data Thieves<\/strong><\/span><\/h2>\n

Here are some additional ideas for protecting your identity and financial info from the cyber-sharks who cruise the Internet and commercial venues:<\/p>\n