Can someone steal your identity with your ID (or license)?

If you’re wondering whether criminals can steal your identity if they get a hold of your ID or driver’s license, the short answer is yes. But there’s a lot more they can do with this information. This includes creating fake documents, committing crimes using your name, and scamming your family and friends, among other things. 

We’ll go over these risks and more, as well as how to detect whether your ID or driver’s license information has been stolen, how to prevent it from being stolen, and what to do in case it happens to you.

Mariam Volobueva

What someone can do using your ID or driver’s license 

In short:

1. Steal your identity
2. Target you with scams
3. Obtain more of your personal information
4. Sell your ID or driver’s license on the dark web
5. Steal your mail
6. Gain unauthorized access to facilities or systems
7. Commit crimes using your name
8. Create a synthetic identity
9. Scam your friends and family
10. Damage your reputation or credibility

1) Steal your identity 

For most individuals, when it comes to sensitive documents like their ID and driver’s license, the number one concern is identity theft. And it’s a valid concern. According to IdentityTheft.org, 1 in 3 Americans have experienced some form of identity theft. 

Your ID and driver’s license are both highly sensitive documents that cybercriminals can use to steal your identity. They may open bank accounts under your name, apply for credit cards, or take out loans, leaving you with unexpected debts to pay off. These are the obvious concerns.

But it doesn’t stop there. Identity thieves can use your name to do a multitude of other things that may be harder to notice since they may not affect you financially. They may rent properties or vehicles, apply for government benefits, and even get jobs using your credentials. 

2) Target you with scams

Identity fraud is far from the only crime someone can commit using your ID or driver’s license. They can steal money from you with scams too. Your name, address, and phone number alone are enough for a run-of-the-mill delivery scam. 

The more data points they have, however, the more sophisticated these attacks can become. 

Stay informed on the most common scams making the rounds on the internet. 

3) Obtain more personal information

Scammers can get more of your personal information using your ID or driver’s license. They can target you with phishing scams to swindle the data out of you, gain access to your online accounts, or simply use the information to look you up online. It’s easier to do than you might think. 

Unless you actively remove your personal information from people search sites, anyone can look you up with just your name and/or address. 

These websites sell personal profiles containing loads of information, including:

• Employment history
• Education history
• Financial information
• Property ownership records
• Criminal records
• Court records
• Vehicle registration information
• License plate numbers
• Professional licenses and certifications
• Shopping preferences
• Online search history
• IP addresses
• Geolocation data
• Biometric data (e.g., fingerprints, facial recognition)
• Tax records
• Family members’ information
• Political affiliations
• Religious beliefs
• Sexual orientation.

Anything they can’t find on people search sites for free or for a minimal price, they can often buy on the dark web. 

4) Sell your ID or driver’s license on the dark web

Criminals can also sell your ID, driver’s license, and any other personal information they may have gained access to on the dark web. This puts you at even more risk, potentially allowing multiple fraudsters to steal your identity, scam you, or commit any of the other crimes on this list. 

Once your information is on the dark web, it’s virtually impossible to remove it. It’s also difficult to check whether your personal information has found its way there in the first place. 

5) Steal your mail

The information found on your ID and driver’s license can also be used to conduct a change-of-address scam to steal your mail. With your address and some other details found in these documents, all a scammer needs to do is file a change-of-address (COA) request to the United States Postal Service (USPS). 

This will re-route your mail to an address of their choosing, giving them access to online deliveries and sensitive documents like tax returns. 

6) Gain unauthorized access to facilities or systems

You might not always be the target of criminals who try to steal your ID or driver’s license. In some cases, they use these documents to gain access to systems or facilities that you have access to. 

These may include:

• Corporate offices
• Government buildings
• Airports and airlines
• Hotels and resorts
• Educational institutions (e.g., universities, schools)
• Hospitals and healthcare facilities
• Financial institutions (e.g., banks, investment firms)
• Secure facilities (e.g., research labs, data centers)
• Sporting events or concerts (for VIP areas)
• Transportation systems (e.g., trains, buses, subways)
• Gated communities or residential complexes
• Nightclubs and bars with age restrictions
• Restricted-access events or venues
• Parking garages or lots with access control
• Online accounts or platforms with restricted content or services.

7) Commit crimes using your name

Criminals will sometimes buy stolen IDs or driver’s licenses to use in case they are caught by law enforcement. This could result in anything from minor fines for traffic violations to serious legal issues for you. 

The criminal may use your ID or driver’s license to hand over to police in case of arrest, use your whereabouts during their crime as an alibi, or use your identity in case of prosecution to avoid consequences. 

8) Create a synthetic identity

In some cases, criminals may use your ID or driver’s license not to steal your identity but to create a fake identity. They do this by combining real and fake information to create an entirely new “person.”

9) Scam your family and friends

Losing your ID or driver’s license not only puts you at risk but exposes those around you to danger as well. Many criminals like to use impersonation scams to target their victims. These scams may include:

• Requests for urgent help from your family, friends, or associates; 
• Pitches for fake investment opportunities; 
• Creating fake dating app and social media profiles to run romance scams;
• Creating fake job listings using your name.

10) Damage your reputation and credibility

Aside from the potential financial and legal problems, your ID or driver’s license falling into the wrong hands can cause serious damage to your reputation. This may just be a byproduct of or the direct intention behind the theft. 

Many of the items we discussed on this list can have obvious negative consequences for your reputation. Obtaining a criminal record can damage your career prospects and impersonation scams can ruin your personal relationships. In some cases, the perpetrator may do everything in their power to purposely embarrass you, such as sending compromising packages to your home or workplace. 

Tell-tale signs someone is using your ID or driver’s license number

It can be difficult to notice if someone is using your ID or driver’s license. If you’ve lost either of these documents, there’s a strong reason to suspect someone might be. However, there’s always the possibility that someone has stolen copies of these documents or taken pictures of them while you weren’t looking. 

So whether you’ve misplaced your ID or driver’s license or not, you should watch out for the following signs that someone may be using it:

1. Unauthorized activity on financial statements such as unexplained transactions, withdrawals, or charges on your bank statements or credit card statements;
2. Credit report anomalies such as unfamiliar accounts, inquiries, or derogatory marks;
3. Missing mail or statements, especially from financial institutions, government agencies, or other organizations;
4. Notifications of suspicious activity from financial institutions or government agencies;
5. Unsolicited requests for personal information via email, phone calls, or messages;
6. Rejection of legitimate transactions that require your ID or driver’s license number;
7. Notification of duplicate documents from government agencies or other organizations that you didn’t request; 
8. Unexpected changes in credit score or history, especially sudden drops;
9. Legal notices or law enforcement inquiries regarding incidents or activities you weren’t involved in;
10. Suspicious activity in other areas of your life such as unrecognized communications, strange interactions, or unexplained changes in your relationships. 

How to prevent your ID or driver’s license from being used for identity theft 

While you should always remain on the lookout for the signs we covered above, it’s also important to take preventative steps. 

Here’s what you can do to lower the risk of someone using your ID or driver’s license:

1. Protect your physical ID and driver’s license: Avoid leaving them unattended in public places and consider using a protective sleeve or RFID-blocking wallet to prevent criminals from scanning them to steal your information.
2. Be skeptical of requests for personal information: Never share your ID or driver’s license number over the phone, via email, or online unless you’ve verified the legitimacy of the request. Always be cautious of unsolicited requests for your personal information and verify the identity of whoever is making the request.
3. Secure your mail: Install a lockable mailbox or use a post office box to protect your incoming mail from theft. Collect your mail as soon after delivery as you can and consider using a mail forwarding service if you’re away from home for long periods of time.
4. Monitor your credit and bank accounts: Regularly monitor your bank accounts and statements and review your credit reports from all three major credit bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian) for any unauthorized activity.
5. Use strong passwords and security measures: Secure your online accounts with strong, unique passwords (at least 8 characters long, using mixed capitalization, special symbols, and numbers) and enable two-factor authentication whenever possible.
6. Shred sensitive documents: When disposing of documents containing personal information, such as old IDs or driver’s licenses, always shred them to prevent dumpster divers from stealing them. 
7. Consider signing up for identity theft protection: Credit reporting agencies and many banks offer identity theft protection services. Insurance companies also provide identity theft insurance. 
8. Request data brokers remove your personal information: Some data brokers collect sensitive information such as ID, driver’s license, and Social Security numbers and sell it to marketers, insurance companies, and other companies. Removing your data prevents it from spreading online and reduces your chances of ending up in data breaches. 

What to do if a scammer has your ID or driver’s license

Despite your best efforts, there’s still a chance of your ID or driver’s license ending up in the wrong hands. Someone might’ve swiped your wallet or hacked into your devices where the information was stored. Whatever the reason, if your ID or driver’s license has been compromised, there are steps you should take to mitigate the consequences. 

Here’s what you should do:

1. Apply for a replacement ID through your state’s DMV or local government offices. 
2. Report your lost document to local law enforcement. Make sure to call a non-emergency line (311 in the US). 
3. If your driver’s license is missing or has been stolen, report it to your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV). 
4. Contact the three major credit reporting bureaus (TransUnion, Equifax, and Experian) to report the theft and freeze your credit.
5. File an identity theft report with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) online through https://www.identitytheft.gov/ or by calling 1-877-438-4338.

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