Report: Identity theft overblown
2005-11-17
Reports of rampant identity theft might be overblown, with some organizations using overly broad definitions of this devastating and rapidly growing crime.
At the heart of the issue is the definition of identity theft. The U.S. government defined identity theft in 1998 in broad terms, such as someone who, "...knowingly transfers or uses, without lawful authority, a means of identification of another person with the intent to commit, or to aid or abet, any unlawful activity..." A recent report by the Associated Press cites statistics that reveal most statistics on identity theft still include general fraud and credit card abuses, many of which many not involve actual identity theft at all.
The recent coverage should not detract from the damage identity theft causes to its victims, however - and there remain a myriad of ways that electronic theft contributes to the rapidly growing threat. The report comes the same week as a study is released indicating that only 16% of users believe websites will treat their personal information properly. Consumers are becoming increasingly wary of disclosing their personal details online.