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By DAVE GUSSOW
Published February 9, 2005
Identity theft, which had been cast in recent years as a burgeoning crime of the high-tech age, remains a major threat but appears to be leveling off, according to a study released recently.
More than 9 million people were victims of identity theft in 2004, according to the study. That figure represents a drop or plateau in the number of victims in 2003, when the Federal Trade Commission studied the issue.
The survey, released by the Better Business Bureau and Javelin Strategy & Research of San Francisco, also showed that lost wallets, stolen mail and garbage searches continue to be the prime source for personal data used in the thefts, not the online transactions many people fear.
"(Renown thief) Willie Sutton is still very much alive in terms of the fact that most people's identity is stolen in traditional ways," said Ken Hunter, chief executive of the Better Business Bureau.
There were 9.3 million people victimized last year compared with 10.1 million victims in 2003, as reported in the FTC survey.
Identity theft had been growing at a breakneck pace since the late 1990s. Using stolen personal data from victims, thieves raid bank accounts, use existing credit card accounts to buy merchandise or set up accounts, even parallel lives, to scam merchants and individuals.
But the new study of 4,000 consumers shows that ID theft, while a major problem, is not continuing its once-incredible growth. Some key findings:
Relatives, friends and acquaintances of the victims are responsible for half of identity thefts.
Lost wallets and checkbooks are the most common way people lose personal information, along with stolen documents and "Dumpster diving" for information in garbage.
Online fraud accounted for 11.6 percent of ID theft cases. About half of that was caused by spyware, which is software planted on personal computers, often without the owner's knowledge, that can transmit data to thieves.
The annual loss from ID theft was estimated at $52.6 billion, about the same as the FTC study found. One area of improvement: It's taking less time for people to resolve the problems.
One suggestion: Do more financial transactions online. The study concluded using online services allows for more frequent checks of accounts and faster detection of problems than waiting for paper statements in the mail. As a result, online detection reduces losses, the study says.
- Dave Gussow gussow@tampabay.com
[Last modified February 4, 2005, 16:30:04]
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