What is Identity Theft and How Does It Happen?

How Does Identity Theft Work?

Cybercriminals use a wide range of techniques to obtain personal information. Here are some common methods:

1. Social Engineering: This tactic involves exploiting human weaknesses, such as trust and curiosity. Criminals may send phishing emails or text messages that entice the victim to click on a link or open attachments, giving them access to sensitive information.
2. Phishing: Through carefully crafted emails, criminals attempt to deceive victims into providing login details or other personal information. These emails often appear to come from legitimate organizations such as banks or government agencies.
3. Malware: Criminals may install malware such as spyware or keyloggers on a computer or network. These programs record everything the victim does, including typing passwords and other sensitive information.
4. Mail and document theft: A basic but effective method involves stealing mail from mailboxes or searching through trash for documents containing sensitive information.
5. Social Media Research: Criminals use social networking sites to collect personal information, such as email addresses and connections, which they can use to trick victims in targeted phishing attacks.