Two out of five identity theft victims know source
of crime, according to Identity Theft Assistance
Center survey…Data
on identity theft sources can help protect consumers
WASHINGTON, Jan. 29 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- Two out of five identity
theft victims surveyed by the Identity Theft
Assistance Center (ITAC) know how their personal
data was stolen, providing valuable insight about
how identity theft occurs.
"This information is important because the more we know about the sources
of identity theft the more successful we all will be
in fighting this crime," said ITAC Executive
Director Anne Wallace. "These documented cases
provide real world perspective on identity theft."
ITAC surveyed 275 identity theft victims who used the ITAC's free service
over a one-month period. Of the 275 cases, 160
consumers (58%) did not know the source of their
identity theft. Another 115 consumers (42%) did know
how their information was compromised. The 115
consumers attributed their identity theft to the
following sources:
Friends, relatives, in-home employees 26 cases ( 22.61)...Computer
hacker/virus/phishing 25 cases (21.74%)
-- Mail (stolen or fraudulent address change) 24 cases
20.87%
-- Lost/stolen wallet, checkbook or credit card 15 cases
13.04%
-- Corrupt business or employee 12 cases
10.43%
-- Data breach 8 cases
6.96%
-- House burglarized 4 cases
3.48%
-- Instant credit 1 case
0.87%
Getting accurate information about the sources of identity theft is
difficult because identity theft - the opening of a
fraudulent new account or account takeover - is
often confused with other types of fraud, like the
unauthorized use of a credit card. ITAC is in a
unique position to gather data about identity theft
because it deals in verified cases of identity
theft.
The companies that belong to ITAC refer customers to ITAC once the
fraud is resolved at the member company. ITAC then helps the customer
identify other fraudulent accounts and assists in restoring their
financial
identity.
