Pretexting is when private investigators identify themselves as someone else so they will be given personal information.

托词一般是私家侦探装扮成另一个的身份，这样就可以取得其私人信息。

youdao

The investigators used sub-contractors who engaged in “pretexting”: the use of false pretences to obtain personal information—in this case, the telephone records of board members and nine journalists.

消息即出，外界反映激烈。调查公司雇佣的人员使用了借用虚假理由获取个人信息的 “假托”手段（pretexting），即在该事件中获得董事会成员及九名记者的电话记录。

youdao

The investigators used sub-contractors who engaged in “pretexting”: the use of false pretences to obtain personal information—in this case, the telephone records of board members and nine journalists.

消息即出，外界反映激烈。调查公司雇佣的人员使用了借用虚假理由获取个人信息的 “假托”手段（pretexting），即在该事件中获得董事会成员及九名记者的电话记录。

youdao