What if someone could buy enough of your personal information to impersonate you for less than the price of a candy bar? It sounds unbelievable, but stolen personal data is bought and sold in underground marketplaces, sometimes for surprisingly small amounts.
A price as low as 95 cents may sound alarming, but there’s an important distinction: a cheap personal-data record isn’t necessarily a complete identity, and prices vary depending on what information is included. Still, criminals don’t always need your entire identity to cause serious financial damage. A name, address, phone number, and a few additional details can help scammers build convincing impersonation attempts, while more sensitive information can open the door to financial fraud. But what do the crooks do with your details once they have them? Here’s what you need to know.
