There are many types of personal information. Identity thieves attempt to take and use your personal information to make money and avoid the negative effects of their actions. An identity thief who steals information may not always be the one using it – they may just be getting the information and selling it (and reselling it). The bad actors buying the information, or the thieves who keep the information, may try and open new accounts with your information or take over accounts you already have. They may also try to get a job using your information or escape arrest.
What Types of Personal Information Do Thieves Want?
Identity thieves want all of the information they can sell or misuse for money. They generally want your basic identity information, personal identifiers, biometric identifiers, account credentials, and physical or electronic tokens. Along with other types of identity crimes, they use these types of personal information to create new or take over existing personal information like government accounts, financial accounts, or non-government and non-financial accounts in your name.
The Different Types of Personal Information
- First and last name
- Address
- Email address
- Phone number
- Social media handle
- Date or place of birth
- Mother’s maiden name
- Social Security Number/Card
- Passport
- Driver’s License
- State ID
- Military ID
- Student ID
- Company ID
- Voter Registration
- Fingerprint
- Face
- Voice
- Retina (eye)
- DNA
- Behavior
- Account number
- Username
- Password
- Security questions
- Personal identification number (PIN)
- Security code
- One-time password (OTP)
Government Accounts
- Internal Revenue Service (IRS)
- Social Security Benefits
- Federal Benefits (TANF, SNAP, etc.)
- Unemployment
- Medicaid/Medicare
- Small Business Administration
- Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA)
- Veterans Affairs
Financial Accounts
- Checking
- Savings
- Retirement
- Credit
- Loan (personal, auto, mortgage, student, etc.)
- Investment
Non-Government/Non-Financial Accounts
- Cell phone
- Insurance
- Social Media
- Credit Report
- Merchant
- Utility (electricity, cable, internet, gas, etc.)
- Health provider (medical or dental)
Contact the ITRC
To learn more about the types of personal information or if you believe you were the victim of an identity crime, contact the ITRC. You can speak with an expert advisor toll-free by calling 888.400.5530 or visiting our website to live chat during our regular business hours, Monday-Friday, 6 a.m.-5 p.m. PST. You can leave a message for an advisor if you contact us outside of our business hours, and we will respond the next business day. Just visit www.idtheftcenter.org to get started.
