Renting a room in your house? Beware.
Identity theft is a big issue. When you rent out a room in your house to a stranger here is a scenario to be aware of.
When you go to the store, this person enters your room or your home office and does a search. An expired credit card is ideal since you are not likely to miss it.
They also grab a recent utility bill that has your name and address written on it.
Off to the motor vehicle office they go. They claim to have lost their wallet and hence their drivers license needs replacement. They also lost all their credit cards, but they have this expired one.. maybe the staff member doesn't even check to see if its expired.
To back up the ID, they produce the Utility bill with your name on it. Matches the expired credit card. Address checks out, all looks legit, so the staff member has them stand in to take a new picture.
A week or two later a new drivers license arrives with your name and address on it, but their picture.
Now they can do whatever they want.. They could sell your car.. sell your house... take out a bank loan in your name. If they get a speeding ticket it goes on your record, not theirs.
Ideal candidate for this would be someone that travels a lot, is out of the country on occasion.
When you go to the store, this person enters your room or your home office and does a search. An expired credit card is ideal since you are not likely to miss it.
They also grab a recent utility bill that has your name and address written on it.
Off to the motor vehicle office they go. They claim to have lost their wallet and hence their drivers license needs replacement. They also lost all their credit cards, but they have this expired one.. maybe the staff member doesn't even check to see if its expired.
To back up the ID, they produce the Utility bill with your name on it. Matches the expired credit card. Address checks out, all looks legit, so the staff member has them stand in to take a new picture.
A week or two later a new drivers license arrives with your name and address on it, but their picture.
Now they can do whatever they want.. They could sell your car.. sell your house... take out a bank loan in your name. If they get a speeding ticket it goes on your record, not theirs.
Ideal candidate for this would be someone that travels a lot, is out of the country on occasion.
