Profile of an Identity Thief

There are as many different kinds of identity thieves as there are ways to commit identity theft. As a result, identity thieves tend to be a rather diverse group; they rarely fit just one profile. In fact, one of the few things most identity thieves have in common is that the majority of them knew their victims personally. Studies have shown that 32% of identity thieves are family members or relatives; 18% are neighbors, friends, or in-home employees; and 4% are co-workers. In addition to knowing their victims personally, identity thieves can usually be grouped according to their motivations or methods of stealing information. Read on for brief profiles of the different types of identity thieves.

The Technology Guru

Consumers who use technology frequently are at a higher risk for identity theft because the transmission of personal information can easily be compromised by tech-savvy identity thieves. Identity thieves who target their victims with technology tend to be younger and have experience with hacking and other Internet-based crimes. This group of identity thieves interrupts the transmission of information such as credit card numbers, social security numbers, names, and addresses over the Internet. They steal the information by hacking into legitimate sites or running pop-up or phishing scams where they trick consumers into thinking they are real businesses.

The Addict

Addiction usually results in a desperate need for cash and impaired judgment, which is a dangerous combination. Identity thieves commonly have some form of addiction that motivates their crimes. They may be addicted to drugs, alcohol, pornography, or gambling. These criminals turn to identity theft in a last-ditch effort to come up with the money they need to feed their habit.

The Old-Fashioned Thief

These identity thieves obtain personal information the old-fashioned way: stealing. Identity thieves commonly steal purses and wallets to get a hold of credit cards, social security cards, driver’s licenses, etc. An old-fashioned identity thief may also attempt to steal discarded mail by Dumpster diving, or riffling through the trash to find credit card statements, bank account statements, credit card applications, and any other documents bearing personal information. If this type of thief has access to personnel documents, he/she may also steal employee files and related paperwork.

The Con Artist

This identity theft will ingratiate him or herself with a mark, or victim, with the goal of gaining the victim’s trust. Once the thief has won the victim’s trust, he exploits the situation to elicit personal information from the victim. The thief may obtain the victim’s social security number or ask to use the victim’s bank accounts or credit cards. This form of identity thief is often difficult to catch because by the time the victim realizes what has happened, the thief is usually long gone. To complicate matters even further, the thief may have even had permission to use the victim’s credit cards or bank accounts, which sometimes limits what authorities can do.