One of the reasons identity theft is such a pervasive threat is that as part of our daily lives we often have to voluntarily hand over our personal information to complete strangers. We don’t know who these people are, or what their backgrounds are, and yet we still have to absolutely trust them.

That’s one of the reasons skimming is still such a big problem. Skimming is where thieves use their own credit card reader to make an unauthorized copy of your credit or debit card. Sometimes the skimming device can be placed at a gas station pump or an ATM, but often you’ll actually get to meet the thief in person – a waiter in a restaurant, for example – where it’s too easy for the thief to make their own personal copy of your credit card with a skimming device the size of a cell phone.

An employee at a Wendy’s fast food restaurant in Seattle was able to do just that, skimming the credit cards of more than 130 customers. The thief then copied the stolen data on to new blank cards she had made, and went on a spending spree to the tune of $75,000.

In many cases of insider identity theft, while you won’t actually meet the dishonest employee, you still won’t be able to avoid them. A Seattle Municipal Court employee was recently arrested for skimming the credit cards of local drivers who handed over their credit cards to the city in order to pay for speeding tickets.

One of the alleged accomplices in the crime also happened to work for a Jack In the Box restaurant, where she admitted to routinely skimming up to 15 customer credit cards every single work day.

Lessons learned?

• There are many cases of skimming where there is no obvious or easy defense. That’s why it’s so important to regularly check your credit card statements for unauthorized charges.

RELATED STORY: Charge: Fast-food worker stole 130+ identities in id theft ring

http://www.seattlepi.com/local/424114_fastfood28.html

Related posts:

1. IN THE HEADLINES: Skimming Continues to Fool and Fleece Unwary Consumers
2. Identity Theft Targeting the Elderly
3. IN THE HEADLINES: The Growing Problem of Travel Agents — Identity Theft