Your data in their hands

Unlike physical theft, data theft is not limited by proximity to the victim. A person in any country is at risk of having data stolen by a thief in any other country. The Internet makes this possible and relatively easy. Not only is the risk of data theft increased by ease, it is also increased by sheer volume when compared to physical theft. There may be a few thieves within driving distance of your home; however, there are an unlimited number of data thieves with access to the Internet.

A thief looking for the right home to rob will search for the building offering the least resistance to intrusion. Data thieves use the same approach. Because mobile devices tend to be protected less than personal computers, they make better targets.

Once thieves have your data, they can sell it to buyers on the black market, once or many times over, or they can use it to steal your identity. They can also do both. In David Crouse's situation, several people bought his information...