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Tech gadget as tool for ID thieves

Updated: Monday, December 31 2012, 05:47 PM EST

A new and ubiquitous tech gadget is making it easier for theives to steal your identity.

"Most everybody has a cell phone with cameras built in, and you wouldn't even think when you're standing there in line holding that card that somebody could slip over there and take a picture," said Rutherford County Sheriff's Department Sergeant Allen Hardin.

Hardin says with just a snapshot of the front of your credit card - with your name, card number and expiration - a thief can go online and charge thousands of dollars in your name.

"When you're out shopping and trying to return some of these Christmas gifts... I would wait until it's time to pay, promptly take [your card] out, pay, and then promptly put it away so nobody can't take a photo," said Hardin.

In an era where identity theft has been often associated with the online buying world and phone scams, it's a new technique that may be making in-store purchases more risky than ever.