NCJ Number
197707
Journal
White Paper Volume: 16 Issue: 4 Dated: July/August 2002 Pages: 31-33,39,42
Editor(s)
Dick Carozza
Date Published
July 2002
Length
7 pages
Annotation
This article provides an overview and examination of the extent of identity theft, as well as victims of identity theft across the United States to aid in the investigation and prevention of this ever-present crime.
Abstract
Identity theft is typically characterized as “unavoidable,” “undetectable,” and “unstoppable.” It is necessary for fraud examiners to know the latest on identity theft, both its victims and criminals in order for them to use their skills in preventing the spread of this crime. This article examines the scope of the problem. An identity thief needs the valuable possession of a potential victim -- a social security number (SSN). Receipt of the SSN opens up a whole world of criminal opportunities for the identity thief. Categories of fraud related to identity theft include: obtaining credit cards, obtaining work documents or licenses, obtaining telephone and other services, obtaining benefits, opening bank accounts with stolen SSNs, creating multiple identities, and using bogus SSNs to avoid paying child support payments. The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is seen as the most reliable source for identity fraud statistics. The FTC reported 69,370 victims from November 1999 through June 2001. The largest number of complaints came from California, New York, Texas, and Florida. The FTC also reported that 21 percent of those victimized had a personal relationship with the identity thief. One of the rapidly rising methods of identity fraud is the Internet through various means such as e-mail requests and illegitimate Web pages. Identity thieves or cyber fraudsters can victimize scores of users in a short time and leave no trace of their true existence. Figures and appendix