The perpetrators steal personal data such as name, date of birth, address, credit card or account numbers in order to conclude contracts at someone else's expense.
Identity theft via leaks from major providers
The fraudsters obtain sensitive consumer data via phishing emails or data leaks from major providers. That's why the Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office and Consumer Center urge caution when dealing with passwords, PINs, bank details or credit card details.
A typical example case
A consumer has never ordered anything online. She doesn't even have an email address. She is all the more astonished when a debt collection agency demands payment from her for several online orders. The perpetrators only needed the name and address to order goods, which they then intercepted from the postal delivery person. Since the orders were placed on account and the consumer had no knowledge of the invoices, the online shop commissioned a debt collection company to collect the purchase prices.
How should victims behave?
The State Criminal Police Office and the Rhineland-Palatinate Consumer Center give tips on how to behave in the event of identity theft:
If debt collection companies then contact you with payment requests, you can dispute the claim sample letter
Further information from the consumer advice center on the subject can be found here . The police also provide information here .
Source:
Rhineland-Palatinate State Criminal Police Office
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