Consumer identity data is personal information that can identify or help verify an individual. It may include names, contact details, dates of birth, government identifiers, account information, or records linking a person to other attributes. Organizations use it for services such as identity verification, fraud prevention, and analytics.
This data is valuable to criminals because it can support identity theft, account fraud, targeted phishing, or attempts to impersonate customers. In attacks, it may be sought through unauthorized access, data theft, or extortion; a criminal claim alone does not prove that information was taken or exposed. Defenders should verify claims using access and data-movement logs, limit access to sensitive records, and protect stored data with appropriate security controls.