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Cell Phones Latest Target Of Identity Thieves

Web Producer: Jason Bailey

First, it was credit cards, and social security numbers.

Now, cell phones have become a target for identity thieves.

Experts say that practically anyone can find out who you're calling with the simple click of a mouse.

Your personal numbers and your private conversations, are all subject to an audience without your knowing.

If you're one of the millions of Americans who subscribe to the technology, chances are, your secrets are for sale.

Mike Altschul of the Wireless Association says, "It's basically another form of identity theft."

With a name, address, and phone number companies like Locatecell.com will track down dates, times, and lengths of your personal cell phone calls, a tool often used by police to solve crimes.

Dan Klau a privacy attorney, says that usage of the technology is regaled primarily for governmental use.

"There are circumstances where its appropriate for the government to get that information," says Klau.

Cell phone records are now earning big bucks for online data brokers.

"Customers and carriers both are victims of this kind of theft," says Klau.

Sure enough, with a name and phone number, locatecell.com manages to dig up at least 100 of your most recent calls, and the results were one 100-percent accurate.

Altschul says, "These are guys who steal information about a person and then try to hack or break into a carrier's system to obtain information that the carrier has based on the customer profile."

Experts say that can happen in one of three ways.

One trick is called pre-texting, where a thief calls a wireless carrier and pretends to be you.

Brokers will also try to log in to your online account and sometimes they'll even pay off someone with access.

"Sometimes there are dishonest employees who have access as an employee to these records, and for cash, will sell access," says Altschul.

It has become such a problem, some cellular service providers are fighting back.

Verizon Wireless got a court order preventing a Tennessee company from selling records and earlier this summer New York Senator Charles Schumer introduced legislation that would make this practice illegal under federal law.

Sen. Schumer says, "The biggest problem: It's not a crime, if you can believe that."

The current law is too narrow, and while it outlaws pre-texting to get financial data, it does not include cell phone logs," says Sen. Schumer.