| The latest official identity theft statistics are out and | | | | - 35% have to get help from their local law |
| they are disturbing, alarming and frightening. Most | | | | enforcement agencies. |
| people usually wait until something happens to them | | | | - 24% have no choice but to deal with debt collectors. |
| before taking action. This is usually the case all over | | | | - 20% need to work together with assistant services |
| the United States when it comes to victims of this | | | | for identity theft. |
| crime. By taking a proactive stance and the defensive | | | | - 13% must contact the Federal Trade Commission. |
| position on a crime like ID theft, you limit the thieves | | | | (Javelin Strategy and Research 2009) |
| from ever being able to rob you of your identity as | | | | When people look at the overall cost ID theft has on |
| well as protect yourself from any future attempts. It is | | | | the world, the numbers are quite shocking to say the |
| always best to be prepared for the storm rather than | | | | least. With the usage in Internet rising daily and people |
| to wait until it hits to find shelter. Here are some of the | | | | all over the word having access to computers, this |
| most recent statistics on this ever growing and popular | | | | crime and numbers can only rise. If that is the case, |
| crime. | | | | many consumers out there will be in for a costly, time |
| Victims | | | | consuming journey when trying to regain their identity |
| - In 2008 there were about 10 million victims who fell | | | | and life back. |
| prey to identity theft in the United States. (Javelin | | | | Overall Cost |
| Strategy and Research 2009) | | | | - 31 billion dollars was the current account fraud total in |
| - It is estimated that 1 out of every 10 American has | | | | 2008. (Javelin Strategy and Research 2009) |
| already been a victim of ID theft someway or another. | | | | - 221 billion dollars a year are lost by businesses all |
| - 1.6 million Families went through bank account fraud | | | | over the world due to identity theft. (Aberdeen Group) |
| or had their debit cards breached and exposed. These | | | | - Identity thefts victims lose around $851 to $1,378 of |
| were NOT related to credit cards. (U.S. Department of | | | | they own money while trying to regain their identity and |
| Justice 2005) | | | | resolve the problem. (ITRC Aftermath Study 2004) |
| - Families whose Household income was $70,000or | | | | - The average cost of ID theft victims is $500 (Javelin |
| higher were two times more likely to encounter identity | | | | Strategy and Research 2009) |
| theft than households whose salary and income were | | | | - 47% of identity theft victims come across problems |
| under $50,000 (U.S. DOJ 2005) | | | | when trying to qualify for a new loan. (ITRC Aftermath |
| - 7% of people who had their identity stolen had it | | | | Study 2004) |
| done in order for the thieves to commit medical identity | | | | - 70% of Identity theft victims encounter serious |
| theft. | | | | hurdles when attempting to remove negative |
| The next section of statistics we focus on is | | | | information on their credit reports which resulted from |
| discovery. This part is one of the hardest since it is | | | | the Identity theft. (ITRC Aftermath Study 2004) |
| when people normally find out they have become a | | | | - Average amount of money lost per household |
| victim of ID theft and by then it is already too late. | | | | amounted to $1,620. (U.S. DOJ 2005) |
| Discovery | | | | Culprits |
| - Between 38 to 48 % of ID theft victims find out | | | | - 43% of ID theft victims knew the culprit and |
| about their identity being stolen within the first three | | | | perpetrator of the crime. (ITRC Aftermath Study |
| months of the crime. About 9 to 18% of the victims | | | | 2004) |
| never really know their identity has been stolen until | | | | - The most likely culprit involved in case of child identity |
| well over four years or later. (these statistics come | | | | theft were the children's parents. (ITRC Aftermath |
| from the Identity Theft Resource Center Aftermath | | | | Study 2004) |
| Study) | | | | This section which covers the methods use by identity |
| - Between 50.2 Million Americans are now using some | | | | theft thieves is one that most people need to focus on |
| kind of credit monitoring service to protect themselves. | | | | since it can very well help them to avoid falling victim |
| (As of Sept 2008 provided by the Javelin Strategy | | | | to this crime and ending up here as a statistic. |
| and Research 2009) | | | | Methods |
| - Around 44% of American consumers view their | | | | - 43% (Almost half) of every identity theft crime is due |
| reports using credit report agencies online while one in | | | | to physical paperwork or wallets being stolen. (Javelin |
| seven receive their credit report at home. | | | | Strategy and Research 2009) |
| Focusing on recovery takes tremendous tolls on ID | | | | - Online activity was to blame for 11% of methods |
| theft victims. Countless hours and a lot of money are | | | | used for this crime. (Javelin Strategy and Research |
| spent trying to undo the damage this horrendous crime | | | | 2009) |
| has caused in the victims lives Some people spend | | | | - A stolen credit card number or a debit card |
| years doing this. But by then it is too late for anything | | | | accounted for 38% of the methods used for identity |
| other than trying to return your life back to normal. | | | | theft. (Javelin Strategy and Research 2009) |
| Recovery | | | | - A stolen Social Security number was to blame for |
| - Depending on the seriousness of the case, victims of | | | | 37% of identity theft victims. (Javelin Strategy and |
| ID theft take about 5,840 hours trying to counter and | | | | Research 2009) |
| correct the effects and damaged caused by the | | | | - 36% of all identity theft victims report having their |
| crime. This equals to almost working a full-time job for | | | | phone number and name endangered. (Javelin |
| two whole years by the way. (ITRC Aftermath Study | | | | Strategy and Research 2009) |
| 2004) | | | | - 24% of the ID theft victims financial account numbers |
| - The average victim of ID theft will spend 330 hours | | | | were endangered and compromised due to the ID |
| fixing the harm and damage caused by the crime. | | | | theft crime. (Javelin Strategy and Research 2009) |
| (ITRC Aftermath Study 2004) | | | | - Well over 35 million data records of corporate and |
| - 26 to 32% of ID theft victims take about 4 to 6 | | | | government data were breached and compromised in |
| months to fix the problem. 11 to 23% of the victims | | | | 2008. (ITRC) |
| take anywhere between 7 months to a full year trying | | | | - In 2008, much of the 59% of new account fraud |
| to resolve their cases. (ITRC Aftermath Study 2004) | | | | reported was due to Perpetrators opening up new |
| - 46% of victims involved in having their identity stolen | | | | stolen credit cards and store branded credit card |
| ended up installing an antivirus, firewall or a | | | | accounts. (Javelin Strategy and Research 2009) |
| anti-spyware program or software on their computer | | | | The numbers paint a compelling truth and serve as a |
| after the fact. | | | | warning to all of us; protect yourself before you |
| - 23% ended up switching their primary bank while | | | | become the next victim of identity theft. Unless people |
| 22% ended up switching their credit card company as | | | | take a defensive and proactive approach to this crime, |
| well. (Javelin Strategy and Research 2009) | | | | they may end up being another number added to the |
| - Identity theft victims have to contact several different | | | | many victims already on this list. Remember that ID |
| agencies while attempting to resolve the fraud | | | | thieves never take a day off, never cease to stop |
| committed against them. | | | | doing anything other than to try and strip you of your |
| - 66% must work together with financial institutions. | | | | identity and all they can get out it in return. Protect |
| - 40% must contact credit bureaus. | | | | yourself today. |