What term best describes the act of gathering intelligence by infiltrating an organization?

The act of gathering intelligence by infiltrating an organization is best referred to as "scavenging." This process involves obtaining valuable information through various techniques, which can include direct infiltration or accessing unsecured resources within an organization.

In the context of fraud schemes, scavenging goes beyond merely collecting discarded items or utilizing superficial or unauthorized access methods. Instead, it focuses on extracting meaningful data that can be used for malicious purposes, such as identifying weaknesses in security protocols or gathering sensitive information about clients or operations.

The other options, while they represent different forms of information gathering or intrusion, are more specific or limited in scope. For example, dumpster diving typically involves searching through trash for discarded items, primarily documents that might reveal confidential information. Spoofing refers to masquerading as a legitimate entity to gain unauthorized access or information. Shoulder surfing involves directly observing someone, usually to obtain confidential information, such as passwords or personal identification numbers, in a more intrusive manner but doesn't imply organizational infiltration. Thus, "scavenging" encapsulates the broader, systematic approach to intelligence gathering within an organization.