The theft of credit card holders' personal information has become a growing problem, prosecutors said at a conference in Beijing.

Many thieves now steal cardholders' private data with a card reader instead of simply taking credit cards left on an ATM. The thieves then use the information to buy goods across the country, the prosecutors said at the March event.

Lu Junzhao, director of the financial crime department of Xicheng District People's Procuratorate, said some criminals seek jobs in high-level hotels or entertainment clubs using fake identities and steal customers' personal information when the thieves swipe the credit cards.