'Personal Financial Literacy Module 4 DBA Practice Test 2026 – All-in-One Study Resource for Success!'

The method that involves searching through garbage to find personal information is dumpster diving. This term specifically refers to the practice of rifling through commercial or residential waste to locate discarded items that contain sensitive personal data, such as bank statements, credit card information, and other confidential paperwork.

Dumpster diving is particularly concerning because individuals engaging in this practice can glean valuable information about a person's identity, finances, and habits without any technical skills or elaborate tools—only the ability to dig through trash. This highlights the importance of proper disposal of documents containing personal information, such as shredding paper instead of simply throwing it away.

Other methods mentioned, such as hacking, involve technical skills to breach electronic systems for information, shoulder surfing refers to observing someone entering sensitive information (like a password) directly, and bribery involves coercing someone to give away information through unethical means. None of these methods utilize physical refuse in the way dumpster diving does.