What Can Scammers Do With Your Driver’s License?

A driver’s license contains personal information. When compromised, this document can lead to various forms of misuse. This misuse impacts an individual’s financial stability, personal life, and can expose them to legal complications.

Financial Identity Theft

A compromised driver’s license can inflict financial damage. The personal information on a license, such as name, address, and date of birth, is a foundation for fraudulent activities. It can be combined with other stolen data to create a synthetic identity or to impersonate an individual for financial gain.

Scammers commonly open new credit card accounts or secure loans in the victim’s name. They use the stolen driver’s license as identification to pass verification checks during application processes. This leads to debt and damaged credit for the individual. Criminals can also apply for auto or personal loans, leaving the victim responsible for repayment.

Another financial threat is the filing of fraudulent tax returns. Scammers use the victim’s identity to submit false tax claims to the Internal Revenue Service (IRS) and claim refunds. This can delay legitimate refunds and trigger an IRS audit. A stolen driver’s license can also apply for government benefits, such as unemployment or Social Security, or access existing bank accounts. Banks often require a driver’s license for identity verification, making it a target for fraudsters seeking to withdraw funds or change account details.

Scammers may also leverage a stolen driver’s license to make large purchases or rent expensive items. They might rent vehicles or equipment in the victim’s name, accruing charges and leaving the victim liable for damages or unreturned items. The information can bypass security questions on online portals, allowing criminals to order duplicate driver’s licenses for further fraud. Mail fraud is another financial repercussion, where criminals submit change-of-address requests to divert sensitive financial documents.

Personal Impersonation

A stolen driver’s license enables scammers to impersonate the victim in non-financial contexts, leading to personal and legal complications. The license can be used to assume the victim’s identity for illicit purposes. This impersonation can result in disruptions to the victim’s life, including legal issues and reputational damage.

One form of personal impersonation involves renting apartments or vehicles. Scammers use the stolen identification to sign leases or rental agreements. This leaves the victim responsible for unpaid rent, damages, or legal disputes. It can also negatively impact the victim’s rental history and ability to secure housing.

A scammer might use the victim’s identity to gain employment. This can lead to tax issues for the victim, as wages earned by the imposter might be reported under the victim’s Social Security Number, resulting in tax liabilities or wage garnishments. The victim may also face complications with background checks for legitimate employment opportunities. The driver’s license can also obtain medical services or prescription drugs in the victim’s name, leading to erroneous medical records and difficulties in receiving proper healthcare.

A serious personal consequence is the use of a stolen ID during traffic stops or minor criminal incidents. If a scammer presents the victim’s driver’s license to law enforcement, citations, fines, or arrests will be recorded under the victim’s name. This can lead to unexpected warrants, accumulating fines, and a criminal record for the victim, requiring effort to clear their name. Criminals may also establish false residential addresses or utility accounts using the stolen license, creating a trail of fraudulent activity linked to the victim.

Data Exploitation and Illicit Use

A driver’s license has value beyond direct financial theft or personal impersonation. Scammers exploit this data as a commodity or a tool within broader criminal enterprises. This often occurs without immediate financial loss or personal hardship to the victim. This misuse leverages the document for systemic criminal operations.

One form of exploitation is the creation of counterfeit driver’s licenses or other fake identification documents. Scammers use the victim’s genuine details, such as name, date of birth, and license number, to produce convincing fake IDs with scannable data. These counterfeit documents can then be sold or used by other criminals to facilitate illicit activities, from purchasing age-restricted items to more serious crimes.

The information on a driver’s license, including name, address, date of birth, and license number, is sought after on dark web marketplaces. Cybercriminals buy and sell this stolen personally identifiable information (PII) to other criminals.

A stolen driver’s license or its data can become a component in organized criminal schemes. This includes setting up shell corporations for money laundering, facilitating fraud rings, or aiding human trafficking or illegal immigration. In such scenarios, the victim’s identity is one piece of a puzzle, contributing to a broader criminal infrastructure. The objective is to create a network of legitimate identities to obscure illegal operations.