Someone is using my own phone number

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@TROLLEDYOUSO wrote:

They wrongfully used your info to obtain things of value. That is definitely illegal. Not only did they commit a crime against the companies (fraud), but they also committed a crime against you (identity theft).

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It sounds like they weren't actually using personal info, just address and phone number. 

From Wikipedia definition of personal information:

"NIST definition
The following data, often used for the express purpose of distinguishing individual identity, clearly classify as personally identifiable information under the definition used by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (described in detail below):[16]

• Full name (if not common)
• Face (sometimes)
• Home address
• Email address
• National identification number (e.g., Social Security number in the U.S.)
• Passport number
• Vehicle registration plate number
• Driver's license number
• Face, fingerprints, or handwriting
• Credit card numbers
• Digital identity
• Date of birth
• Birthplace
• Genetic information
• Telephone number
• Login name, screen name, nickname, or handle"

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@TROLLEDYOUSO wrote:

From Wikipedia definition of personal information:

 

"NIST definition
The following data, often used for the express purpose of distinguishing individual identity, clearly classify as personally identifiable information under the definition used by the National Institute of Standards and Technology (described in detail below):[16]

• Full name (if not common)
• Face (sometimes)
• Home address
• Email address
• National identification number (e.g., Social Security number in the U.S.)
• Passport number
• Vehicle registration plate number
• Driver's license number
• Face, fingerprints, or handwriting
• Credit card numbers
• Digital identity
• Date of birth
• Birthplace
• Genetic information
• Telephone number
• Login name, screen name, nickname, or handle"

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You're right. By pure definition, that is PII. Definitions aren't the point, though. It's actual harm that could come to OP through use of this info. Having my mail sent to someone else's address or giving my phone number doesn't harm that person (other than the annoyance). I moved in January and will probably get mail at the old address for months, if not longer. Have I stolen the identity of whomever buys the house? I changed jobs at the same time and I'm sure I had given my work phone number out on some credit applications. If it's reassigned to another employee, have I broken the law? It's possible this person used @annoyedtothetop's address and phone number as part of some fraud. However, there's no indication in any of @annoyedtothetop's posts that their identity was actually stolen, so there's no reason to cause them to panic.