Personal identifiers are forms of identification that prove that you are you. Personal identifiers serve as verification of age, that you can access specific areas or locations, that you can access particular records or accounts, that you are eligible to apply for specific accounts and more. Most personal identifiers contain multiple pieces of information, including name and account number as well as a picture.
At the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC), we consider the following pieces of personal information personal identifiers:
- Social Security Number (SSN)/Card
- Passport
- Driver’s License
- State ID
- Military ID
- Student ID
- Company ID
- Voter Registration
The most common things that can happen with your personal identifiers are:
- Combined with basic identity information, identity thieves can use personal identifiers to pretend to be you when contacting a company to access an account in your name or set up a new account in your name. Accounts include government accounts, financial accounts and other accounts such as medical accounts or social media accounts.
- A mix of basic identity information from you or other victims may be combined with certain information obtained from personal identifiers from you or other victims to create what is known as a synthetic identity. Since synthetic identities use information from multiple victims (including the thief’s own information), it can be hard to know when you have become a victim of synthetic identity theft.
SSNs, driver’s licenses and passports are commonly stolen. Along with the actions listed above, with these specific personal identifiers’ identity thieves can:
- SSNs
- Create several types of accounts, including financial accounts, government accounts, utilities accounts and medical accounts.
- Obtain employment.
- Evade criminal activity.
- Passport
- Gain entry to a foreign location.
- Driver’s License
- Evade traffic violations or criminal activity.
The easiest way is not to share your information unless it is needed.
- Do:
- Store personal identifiers in a locked, fireproof safe when they are not needed.
- Ask why personal identifiers are needed, how the information will be stored, and how long the information will be stored before sharing your personal identifiers.
- Do Not:
- Keep personal identifiers in an easily accessible or easily broken into or stolen location, such as a wallet, purse or car if they are not needed.
- Share your personal identifiers with someone you do not know or have not met unless you know and agree that the reason is valid.
Contact the ITRC
To learn more about personal identifiers, 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.
