Criminal gangs might be selling your identity to fraudsters. Here’s how and how to protect yourself.

Loot stolen from the U.S. Postal Service is displayed on the dark web. (Evidence-Based Cybersecurity Research Group)

At 3:27 p.m. on Nov. 28, 2022, Bank of America began processing an account application submitted online by a criminal using a false identity. Two minutes later, it asked the imaginary person to confirm his email address. At 4:02 p.m., the bank emailed the criminal. “Great news!” the email declared — the new account was ready for use. 

No one from Bank of America saw or spoke to the client before opening the account to confirm he was who he claimed to be. And Bank of America, which did not return calls seeking comment, isn’t the only snookered bank.