We are accustomed to hearing about online data breaches, phishing scams, and other high-tech ways that thieves get information to steal identities. However, scammers are still fond of doing things the old-fashioned way, too. They steal wallets and purses from homes and cars, and take documents from trash cans and mailboxes to obtain credit cards, driver’s licenses and other documents.
KrebsOnSecurity reports that thieves stole Lance Miller’s wallet from his car while the car was in an open garage. Miller made a police report and canceled his credit cards, but that didn’t stop the thieves from running up credit card bills of $5,000 and taking a similar amount from his checking account. The worst was yet to come, however.
One morning, police arrived at Miller’s home and arrested him, in front of his children, for burglary. It turned out that the thief had used Miller’s driver’s license as identification during several traffic stops, including one where the thief was in a car with stolen license plates. The theft of the plates had not yet been reported, so he was not detained. He was also seen speeding away from the scene of a burglary. Because the thief had used Miller’s identity, the police showed up to arrest Miller for the crimes.
By the time Miller arrived at the police station, the police had figured out the mix up. They removed his handcuffs and apologized. Eventually, they arrested the man they believe actually committed the crimes, including stealing Miller’s wallet.
Police told Miller that the suspect was believed to be part of a crime ring involved in identity theft, drug dealing and burglary. “When these guys are not in prison, they’re expected to earn for the gang,” Miller said. “And apparently one of the best earning methods for these guys is ID theft.” The thieves who victimized Miller were also known to have entered unlocked cars and used the garage door openers to access and burglarize the homes.
In addition to stealing from cars, identity thieves can obtain valuable information from mailboxes and trash bins. Credit card statements, letters from government agencies and other correspondence may contain Social Security Numbers, account numbers, dates of birth and other identifying information that thieves can use to steal your identity and open accounts in your name. One way to thwart them is by reducing the amount of mail you receive: sign up for online delivery of statements and direct deposit of checks. Reader’s Digest recommends shredding boarding passes, prescription labels, receipts, resumes, extra birth announcements and extra funeral announcements, as all may contain information useful to identity thieves. They also point out that, because many people use their pets’ names as passwords, you should shred pet medical records.
Identity thieves get personal information any way they can. Don’t make it easy for them. Take simple steps such as locking the doors to your home, garage and car, reducing the amount of mail going in and out of your mailbox, and shredding sensitive documents when discarding them.
