More Americans Feel They Can Become Victims Of Identity Theft
As identity thieves continue to victimize millions of people each year, the crime is not only robbing consumers of their financial security -- it's also robbing them of their peace of mind. According to a national survey, conducted by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) and Fellowes Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer, the vast majority of Americans remain aware of identity theft and more are feeling they can become a victim of the crime.
This new research is part of a long-term awareness initiative called Americans' Identity Confidence Index, which gauges how consumer perceptions of identity theft and specific preemptive behaviors change over time. Through the index, Fellowes and the ITRC annually survey respondents on five questions pertaining to vulnerability, and report on overall changes. This year, the index remained consistent with last year's findings, indicating consumer confidence is still down compared to 2006 when it was first measured.
Consumers remain aware that the threat of identity theft is real, with a vast majority (85 percent) of Americans agreeing that identity theft can happen anywhere and at any time. In fact, the feeling of personal vulnerability has increased significantly with nearly two thirds (65 percent) of American's believing they themselves can be a victim of identity theft compared to just 57 percent in 2007 and more Americans recognizing identity theft as a real problem rather than a media hype (60 percent in 2008 vs. 55 percent in 2007).
"The threat of identity theft in America is real, and it's encouraging to see so many people taking the crime seriously," said Jamie Fellowes, chairman and CEO of Fellowes, Inc. "This index continues to be an important tool in gauging Americans' perceptions of the crime and enables us to continue to provide consumers with proper education and the best prevention tools."
Similar to previous years, Americans still remain confused about how identity theft occurs. Thirty-five percent believe identity theft occurs through online exchanges, when in reality it only accounts for 12 percent of the crime. In addition, only seven percent of Americans believe their family and friends are responsible for the crime, even though national statistics show that 17 percent of all identity theft cases involve family and friends.
On the flip side, Americans are not letting their guard down when it comes to taking precautions and adopting better identity theft protection habits. Two thirds of Americans (66 percent) continue to report using tools or solutions to protect themselves from identity theft, and women are outpacing men in taking these preventive measures.
When it comes to protection against the crime, seven in ten (70 percent) women report using tools and solutions to protect themselves from identity theft, compared to just 62 percent of men. Women are also more likely than men (90 percent vs. 84 percent) to keep a closer eye on their bank accounts, and avoid giving out personal information over the phone (79 percent vs. 70 percent).
However, when asked about specific protection habits, both men and women still report using various everyday practices:
Seventy-five percent are shredding documents containing personal information, such as bank statements and credit cards, and unsolicited credit card offers before disposal.
Seventy-one percent report keeping their Social Security card in a safe place.
More than half of the general public (53 percent) order a credit report at least once every two years -- one of the most effective ways to ensure that no one is misusing your credit.