What Can Someone Do With Your Driver’s License or ID?

What Can Someone Do With Your ID?  

Your ID — whether a driver’s license, passport, or state ID — is a master key to your identity. Identity cards contain enough information for someone to steal your identity, access your bank and other accounts, or even forge official documents in your name.

In 2024, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) received over 9,500 reports of identity fraud due to forged driver’s licenses.

You don’t need to lose your ID or have your wallet stolen in order for your identity to be compromised. Driver’s license and passport scans often end up on the Dark Web after a data breach, where they sell for anywhere from $20 for a scan to $150 for a “fullz” — which includes IDs, names, and even Social Security numbers (SSNs).

In this guide, we’ll cover the security threats that result from a stolen or leaked ID, what to do as soon as you think you could be at risk of identity theft, and how to recover from a lost ID and stay safe in the future.

What Can Scammers Do With Your ID or Driver’s License?

1. ‍Steal your identity
2. Create a “synthetic identity” with your information
3. Create a fake ID by using your driver’s license number
4. Access your bank accounts and savings
5. Open new accounts in your name
6. Pretend to be you when committing crimes
7. Commit other forms of fraud
8. Sell your sensitive information on the Dark Web

Your ID contains some of your most sensitive personally identifiable information (PII) — including your full name, date of birth, driver’s license number, address, signature, and more. 

If your ID has been lost or stolen (or if you received a data breach notification alerting you that your ID has been leaked), here are the most serious ways in which scammers can threaten your identity, finances, and safety:

1. Steal your identity

Yes, scammers can steal your identity with just your ID — even if they don’t look or sound like you at all. Many companies and financial institutions take customer ID information over the phone or online when opening new accounts or making changes to current ones.

The information on your ID can also be used to uncover leaked personal data on the Dark Web.

When companies are breached, passwords and other sensitive information — including your SSN, phone number, credit card details, and more — can end up for sale online. A compromised ID can open you up to numerous types of identity theft.

2. Create a “synthetic identity” with your information

Synthetic identity theft occurs when fraudsters combine real and fake personal information to create a new fictitious identity. They then build that identity’s credit score before “busting out” by maxing out their credit cards or loans and walking away.

For example, scammers could use your driver’s license number or ID (especially if they have your SSN) to create a fake identity that is tied to you. This means that debt collectors or government agencies will come to you looking for their missing funds.

According to Experian, fraudulent credit card applications due to synthetic identity theft increased by 60% year-over-year in 2024 alone.

Generative artificial intelligence (AI) tools like ChatGPT have supercharged synthetic identity fraud, giving scammers a faster and easier way to create and build false identities by using stolen data.

3. Create a fake ID by using your driver’s license number

Identity thieves can use your ID and driver’s license number to create believable fake IDs. These documents contain your real information — but show the photo, signature, and identifying features of the scammer.

Criminals can use fake ID cards to impersonate you, gain illegal employment, access government benefits, or even commit crimes under your name.

The criminal charges for possessing a fake ID vary from state to state as well as by the manner in which they were used. The charges can range from a misdemeanor and a minor fine to felony charges and up to seven years in prison.

4. Access your bank accounts and savings

With a fake ID in hand, scammers could trick your bank into giving them an access card for your accounts, allowing them to withdraw your savings or take advantage of your credit. This can lead to a lengthy investigation and recovery process, as the bank may argue that it was shown legitimate ID during the interaction.

5. Open new accounts in your name

Scammers can also use your ID — or a fake one made from your information — to open new accounts with banks, credit card companies, utility and cell phone providers, and even government agencies.

Criminals opened nearly half a million fraudulent new bank and credit card accounts in 2024 alone.

You likely won’t know this type of crime has taken place until you see suspicious activity on your credit reports or receive mail about loans, accounts, or benefits that you didn’t request.

6. Pretend to be you when committing crimes

Some criminals use fake IDs if they have suspended licenses or when stopped by law enforcement for committing a crime. This means that you could end up with a criminal record or a warrant out for your arrest without even realizing it. This can even impact your ability to work, as many companies conduct background checks that would flag the criminal record or warrant.

7. Commit other forms of fraud

A legitimate fake ID and enough of your PII can open the door for other scams and frauds, such as:

• Loan fraud. Scammers take out loans by using your stolen or forged ID and leave you to deal with the debt.
• Healthcare and insurance fraud. Criminals access your healthcare benefits or order medical equipment under your name.
• Government benefit fraud. Fraudsters apply for Social Security and other government benefits under your name.
• Employment fraud. Some criminals use fake IDs to pass background checks and gain employment for which they wouldn’t otherwise be eligible.
• Real estate and home title fraud. Scammers can illegally rent apartments or change the information on your home title without your knowledge.
• Tax fraud. Someone files taxes with the IRS under your name and deposits the refund.
• Mail fraud. Fraudsters submit illegal change-of-address requests and divert your mail — including new credit cards, bank statements, or other sensitive documents — to an address they control.

📚 Related: Aura vs. LifeLock: Which One Is Right For You? →

8. Sell your sensitive information on the Dark Web

If criminals don’t use your stolen ID immediately, they may sell it to other scammers on the Dark Web. According to the latest Privacy Affairs Dark Web Price Index, U.S. driver’s license numbers sell on average for $150.

Scammers even sell hacked selfies holding IDs for $110, which can be used to verify your identity when opening new accounts online.

Leaked IDs can be sold numerous times, multiplying your risk of identity theft and fraud.

How To Tell If Someone Is Using Your ID

ID misuse is a form of identity theft — and the warning signs are similar for both.

Some of the main ways that you can tell that someone is using your ID include:

• Missing wallet, purse, or ID card. Any missing sensitive information could lead to identity theft.
• Data breach notifications. Companies are legally required to contact you if your accounts or personal information were breached.
• Suspicious activity on your credit file. This could include changes to your personal information, new accounts and hard inquiries, or sudden changes to your credit score.
• Strange mail or a disruption of mail delivery. Mail about accounts you didn’t open, an increase in junk mail and offers, or even missing mail can all point to identity theft.
• Crimes or debts in your name. Lenders or debt collectors may contact you about debts, while law enforcement could question you about crimes committed in your name.
• Fraud warnings for your bank or other companies. Beware of any correspondence from your bank about transactions or changes that you didn’t approve.
• Being denied credit. If criminals access your credit file, they could tank your credit score.‍
• Inability to access online accounts. Hackers could use your PII to access online accounts — including your online bank, email, and social media profiles.

What To Do If Your ID or Identity Is Stolen

The first things you should do when you realize your ID has been stolen or compromised are freeze your credit, report the crime, and then work to uncover the damage and dispute fraud.

Here’s a detailed guide on what to do in order of importance:

Freeze your credit with all three major bureaus

A credit freeze prevents anyone from accessing your credit files and offers the strongest protection against scammers using your ID and PII to open new accounts or take out loans in your name.

To freeze your credit, you’ll need to contact each of the three major credit bureaus individually — Experian, Equifax, and TransUnion. You’ll be asked to prove your identity and will then be issued a credit freeze PIN so that you can "unfreeze” your account later on.

Here’s how to contact each of the major bureaus:

📚 Related: Credit Lock vs. Credit Freeze: Which One Is Right For You? →

File reports with the FTC and local law enforcement

ID theft and misuse both consititute identity theft. To dispute fraud and prove your innocence, you need to create an identity theft affidavit by reporting the crime to both the FTC and your local law enforcement.

• File an identity theft report with the FTC online at IdentityTheft.gov. The FTC will provide you with a personalized identity theft recovery guide as well as documentation that you can use to prove your innocence.
• Contact your local law enforcement office. Most local police departments won’t actually investigate identity theft (unless you have information that could lead to an arrest). However, a police report is required to dispute many types of fraud.

Keep these documents together and in a safe place. You’ll need to use them when you dispute fraudulent accounts and transactions.

Place an extended fraud alert on your credit files

A fraud alert tells potential lenders that they should take additional steps to verify your identity before extending credit to you. This makes a fraud alert less powerful than a credit freeze — however, it still has a few benefits:

• Easier to implement. You only need to contact one of the three credit bureaus to request a fraud alert. By law, the bureau you contact is required to pass your request on to the other two.
• Provides additional protection when you need to lift your credit freeze — for example, when applying for a loan, mortgage, or credit card.

As a victim of identity theft, you can request an extended fraud alert. This stays on your credit file for seven years (or until you lift it) and has no impact on your credit score.

Alert your state’s Department of Motor Vehicles (DMV)

If your driver’s license or ID has been stolen, lost, or leaked, you should notify your state’s DMV office.

Here’s a resource from the Nevada state DMV that lists contact information for each of the 50 states and the District of Columbia.

Some states allow citizens to place a “Verify ID” flag on their driver’s license numbers. This tells police that your ID has been compromised or stolen. So, if the criminals get pulled over and present your driver’s license number, law enforcement will see the flag on your record and ask for two or more pieces of identification to prove that the culprit is you. 

📚 Related: Did the DMV Text You? Here's How To Know If It's a Scam →

Contact any other impacted government agency

Depending on what ID was stolen and how criminals used your identity, you may need to report the crime to other government agencies.

• Internal Revenue Service (IRS). Contact the IRS if scammers have used your identity to file taxes.
• Social Security Administration (SSA). Notify the SSA online if your Social Security card was stolen or if scammers applied for benefits in your name.
• U.S. Department of State. For a lost passport, you’ll need to report it stolen online, by mail, or in person and then apply for a new one by using Form DS-64.
• USPS Postal Inspector. All mail-related crimes can be reported online to the United States Postal Service (USPS).

Replace missing or stolen documents

If your wallet or purse went missing, you may have other IDs and documents that need to be replaced. Take an inventory of any missing documents, and contact each of the issuing agencies or companies to alert them.

This could include:

• Health insurance cards
• Work IDs
• Secondary bank cards
• Library or community facility cards

This step can also help prevent synthetic identity theft that can occur with the use of your personal information.

📚 Related: How To Prevent Identity Theft Online →

Check bank statements, credit files, and accounts for fraud

Scammers may have been able to access your bank accounts or credit file before you shut them down. It’s important to thoroughly go through all records to look for signs of identity theft.

• Credit files. Every American is entitled to receive free weekly credit reports from all three bureaus online by visiting AnnualCreditReport.com. Look for incorrect information, unfamiliar accounts, or hard inquiries.
• Bank statements. Check either your online or paper statements for purchases, withdrawals, and transfers that you didn’t initiate. Don’t ignore small purchases either, as scammers often attempt these to verify their access before emptying accounts.
• Investment accounts. It’s also a good idea to look at accounts that you don’t monitor regularly, such as investments, retirement, and 401(k) accounts.

Set up identity monitoring

Identity thieves can wait days, weeks, months, or even years to strike. If you know your identity or ID has been compromised, it’s in your best interest to set up some form of identity monitoring.

For example, Aura’s all-in-one identity monitoring solution includes:

• Identity monitoring for over 140 pieces of PII across the Dark Web, data breaches, public records, and more.
• Three-bureau credit monitoring with the industry’s fastest fraud alerts³.
• AI-powered bank account and suspicious transaction monitoring.
• A full suite of digital security tools to protect against hackers and online scams.
• 24/7 U.S.-based support, plus access to White Glove Fraud Resolution Specialists.
• Up to $5 million in identity theft insurance to cover eligible losses and expenses.

💡 Try Aura risk-free with a 14-day free trial and 60-day money-back guarantee →

How To Protect Your ID From Scammers

Losing your ID can lead to serious long-term consequences. Follow these steps to minimize the damage that an identity thief or scammer can do with your ID: 

• Consider going paperless (and secure your online accounts). Scammers can steal your PII from mail, physical statements, and other documents. Go paperless as much as possible and secure your online accounts with strong passwords and two-factor authentication (2FA).  
• See if you’re eligible for a mobile driver’s license (mDLs). Some states have implemented digital IDs that are harder to steal and easier to keep updated. Some mDLs are even accepted under the REAL ID requirements.
• Never send anyone a picture of your ID. Hackers may send phishing emails or text messages asking for photos of your ID to “confirm” your identity. Don’t respond to these requests. Additionally, if you have any photos of your ID stored on your computer, mobile device, in text messages, or anywhere else, you should delete them immediately.
• Regularly review your credit report and bank statements. Scammers are almost always after your financial accounts. An identity theft protection service like Aura can monitor your credit and statements for you and alert you to any signs of fraud. 
• Freeze your credit. A credit freeze (or credit lock) stops fraudsters from opening new accounts or taking out loans in your name. Contact each of the major credit bureaus to request a credit freeze. You can also use Aura’s one-click credit lock to instantly lock and unlock your Experian credit file. 

Any time your driver’s license is stored in an organization’s database, it’s at risk of being stolen or compromised in a data breach. Luckily, Aura can alert you if you or your loved ones are at risk of family identity theft.