Pretext callers often pose as law enforcement agents, social workers, potential employers and other figures of authority. How-to books teach foolproof methods of wangling financial information out of bank employees, discussion groups trading techniques abound on the Internet and there are courses in pretext methods. Identity theft is one of the fastest-growing crimes in the United States, ensnaring some 500,000 people a year, the government estimates. The cruder methods, such as digging through people's trash for credit card receipts or bank statements, have been largely supplanted by more technologically savvy techniques. In the most advanced cases, hackers have been able to penetrate big corporations' databases and download credit card numbers and other data.
Some perpetrators use telemarketing scams to trick consumers into revealing personal data.
An array of authentic-looking fake IDs, including Social Security cards, birth certificates and driver's licenses, are on sale online. While most victims of identity theft eventually recoup their lost money, the damage to their credit records and invasion of privacy can be terrible. Compounding the problem, according to law enforcement officials, is the growing presence in this country of organized crime groups, notably Russian and Nigerian, that engage in large-scale identity theft schemes affecting Americans. In addition, he said, he recently learned that new people have been opening accounts using his Social Security number, even after the fraud alerts were in place. It is easier than ever to get someone's name, address, date of birth, Social Security number, mother's maiden name and telephone number, often by buying it on the Web, experts say.