Impersonating someone else to obtain their personal financial information is called?

Impersonating someone else to obtain their personal financial information is known as pre-texting. This practice involves creating a fabricated scenario or "pre-text" to deceive an individual into providing sensitive information, such as account numbers or passwords. By assuming the identity of a trusted source, the perpetrator can manipulate the victim into divulging private details that can later be exploited for financial gain or identity theft.

Pre-texting is commonly used in various forms of fraud, including social engineering, where the fraudster uses background knowledge to build credibility. Understanding this term is critical in the context of security and privacy, as it highlights the importance of vigilance against such deceitful tactics.

The other terms presented have different meanings. For instance, spear-phishing refers specifically to targeted phishing attacks aimed at individuals or organizations, while shadowing involves observing someone's actions to gather information discreetly. Stepping in is not a recognized term in this context and does not pertain to the act of impersonation for information gathering. Each of these terms emphasizes different methods or strategies in the realm of security and information theft, but pre-texting specifically relates to the act of impersonation for acquiring personal financial details.