|
|
NEWS
RECALLS
COMPLAINT FORM
SCAM ALERTS
RESOURCES
Small Claims Guide Class Actions Lemon Laws FAQ Newsletters |
Share |
| Automotive Education Employment Electronics Family Finance Health Homeowners Insurance Pets Shopping Travel |
|
|
|
![]() |
Study Draws New Conclusions About Identity ThievesStrangers are most common victims; women often the offenders |
|||||||||||||
|
by Martin H.
Bosworth October 23, 2007
While there's plenty of evidence to back that up, a new study shows that both the perpetrators and victims of identity theft are more diverse than typically believed. The Center for Identity Management and Information Protection (CIMIP), a think tank established at Utica College in New York, released its report studying trends in identity theft this week. The CIMIP report focused on actual cases of identity theft, rather than victim reports, using data provided by the U.S. Secret Service. Among the findings:
"Some of this does challenge conventional wisdom," CIMIP's executive Gary Gordon told MSNBC's Bob Sullivan. "Other studies report you (often) know who the person is that committed the crime. This study didn't find that." Shifting the blameMany studies tracing the origins and patterns of identity theft and related fraud have painted different pictures of who is likely to be affected, which in turn colors the debate about what should be done to prevent the crimes. "Societal perceptions about identity crimes are based on a combination of notorious case incidents, broadcast vignettes depicting the unfortunate experiences of the victims, media announcements cautioning against behavior that may precipitate victimization, and, quite often, word-of-mouth," the report authors wrote. A frequently-cited 2006 study by the Javelin Research & Strategy firm found that incidents of identity theft were on the decline, and that the most prevalent forms of identity theft occurred offline, such as stealing checkbooks or "dumpster diving" for personal documents. Perpetrators were likely to be a friend or family member to the victim, the study authors claimed. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) disputed Javelin's findings, pointing to its own statistic of 250,000 identity theft complaints brought to the agency in 2006--36 percent of all total complaints. Battles over the root causes and preferred victims of identity theft and fraud deliberately influence legislation and responses to the problem. The financial industry and elements of the federal government favor a more hands-off approach, such as the identity theft plan proposed by former Attorney General Alberto Gonzales and FTC chairman Deborah Platt Majoras. The plan would recommend passing federal identity theft laws that preempt stronger state-level laws, and enabling companies that have suffered data breaches to conduct their own internal investigations rather than automatically notifying affected customers. Studies that claim identity theft is not decisively caused by strangers who have access to personal data would bolster support for the hands-off measures. Consumer advocates, state legislators, and some members of Congress are pushing for stronger legislation that expands the definitions of identity theft and offers harsher penalties for perpetrators. Senators Patrick Leahy (D-VT) and Arlen Specter (R-PA) recently introduced a new identity theft prevention bill that made the usage of spyware or keylogger programs a felony, expanded losses of identity theft under $5000 to be classified as misdemeanors, and codified the right of identity theft victims to seek restitution for financial losses. The study, which is available as a free PDF download, was funded by a grant from the Justice Department's Bureau of Justice Assistance as well as corporate support from Lexis-Nexis, IBM, and Trans Union. Report Your Experience
|
|||||||||||||
Back to the top | |
||||||||||||||
Advertisement
|
|
Custom Search
|
||||
|
AUTOMOTIVE Dealers Manufacturers Service Extended Warranties Lemon Laws Recalls Tires Transporters FAMILY Aging Children, Parenting Recalls Dating Education Entertainment Pets Weddings |
FINANCE Annuities Banks Credit Cards Debt Collection Debt Counseling Insurance Investing Loans Mortgages Payday Loans Student Loans Tax Prep HEALTH Doctors Drugs, Pharmacies Health Clubs Hearing Care Hospitals Nursing Homes Nutrition, Diets Vision Care Weight Loss |
HOUSE & HOME Appliances Cookware Furniture Home Improvements Lawn & Garden Movers Pools & Spas Realtors, Rental Agents Recalls Utilities ELECTRONICS Cable TV/DBS Cameras Cell Phones Computers Home Electronics Internet Access Local Phone Service Long Distance VoIP |
SHOPPING In-Home Online Retail Stores Sporting Goods Supermarkets Telemarketers TRAVEL Airlines Bus Lines Car Rental Cruises Hotels Travel Agents Trains RESOURCES Class Actions Complaint Form Small Claims Guide Lemon Laws |
CONSUMER NEWS Latest News Automotive Telecom Financial Health Homeowners Scams Seniors Travel More ... RECALLS Automotive Children's Products Drugs Food Household Products Sporting Goods ABOUT US FAQ Privacy Policy Advertise With Us Newsroom Syndication Terms of Use |
Terms of Use Your use of this site constitutes acceptance of the Terms of Use
Copyright © 2003-2009 ConsumerAffairs.com Inc. All Rights Reserved. The contents of this site may not be republished, reprinted, rewritten or recirculated without written permission. |
|