identity theft

identity theft, use of an individual’s personally identifying information by someone else (often a stranger) without that individual’s permission or knowledge. This form of impersonation is often used to commit fraud, generally resulting in financial harm to the individual and financial gain to the impersonator. As the amount of personal information available on the Internet increased dramatically in the late 1990s and early 2000s, identity theft became a widespread concern.

In the context of identity theft, identity refers to information intrinsic to a specific individual. Publicly available information, such as a person’s telephone number and street address, as well as confidential information, such as (in the United States) a person’s Social Security number, mother’s maiden name, and credit card numbers, contribute to a person’s identity. By acquiring access to that information, an identity thief can impersonate someone else to commit fraud. While identity theft is often associated with financial gain (i.e., the theft of money), it can also be used to acquire unauthorized entry, privileges, or benefits.

Techniques

Nonelectronic methods of identity theft include stealing mail or rummaging through trash (“dumpster diving”), eavesdropping on private conversations in public venues (“shoulder surfing”), or the theft of a wallet or purse. Personal records can be fraudulently obtained from government offices, and some thieves steal the identities of the deceased by using information collected from tombstones.

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cybercrime: Identity theft and invasion of privacy

Technology has added new dimensions to identity fraud. Small electronic devices called “skimmers” can be used to steal personal information from the magnetic strips on debit and credit cards. Skimmers allow thieves to copy cards for personal use and can be concealed under a counter, in an apron, or inside the card readers of gas station pumps or automated teller machines (ATMs).

Similarly, the increasing amount of personally identifying information that is created, exchanged, stored, and maintained in computer databases creates new vulnerabilities. Personal computers provide a virtual playground for hackers, as a skillful thief can rifle through electronic data without authorization. Stolen information, which is often supplied through insider theft by company employees with access to records databases, can be bought and sold on illegal Web sites.

New cybercrime techniques for facilitating identity fraud emerged as a result of society’s growing use of and reliance on the Internet and e-mail. Phishing, for example, typically occurs when a fraudulent e-mail message (often spam) is used to direct a potential victim to a Web site that mimics the appearance of a familiar bank or e-commerce site. The person is then asked to “update” or “confirm” an account, thereby unwittingly disclosing confidential information. Domain name system (DNS) cache poisoning and pharming techniques employ fake Web sites that resemble those of legitimate businesses, tricking victims into unwittingly providing their personal information. Viruses, spyware, and malware can be used to track the activities of computer users and to gain access to the information on their hard drives, and hackers can “crack” security vulnerabilities in software programs to gain access to personal data via so-called Trojan horse applications.

Impact

Tremendous tangible and intangible costs are borne by both victims and businesses. The costs to individual victims, in addition to the dollar amount of actual losses, remain significant as victims also suffer damage to their reputation and credit report and from substantial lost time. According to a report by the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), 8.1 million Americans were victims of identity theft in 2010, with the dollar amount suffered by victims of credit- and debit-card-related identity fraud reaching $37 billion.

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Major costs also accrue to financial institutions and other businesses. In addition to direct financial losses attributable to identity theft, businesses face additional costs associated with lost trust and damaged to reputations. Further expenditures in the form of increased security measures are often necessary to protect the personal information of customers.

Legal framework

While identity theft is a crime, it is often committed across geographic boundaries, and it is frequently difficult to clearly identify someone as the thief. In the United States local, state, and federal enforcement agencies handle investigation and prosecution under existing fraud laws. Specific privacy and data-protection legislation exists in other countries to offer protection from and compensation for identity theft. In Australia, for example, control over identity theft falls under the auspices of the Office of the Australian Information Commissioner. In the United Kingdom, personal data are protected by the Data Protection Act, which governs proper use of personal data collected and used by organizations.

Responsibilities of individuals and businesses

Individuals have an obligation to take reasonable precautions to protect their personal information and are often in the best position to keep that information secure. Shredders and shredding services are available to prevent dumpster divers, and credit card and bank statements can be sent electronically to prevent mail theft. Computer antivirus and anti-malware programs can be used to deter hackers. Internet users can choose what information to reveal online and under what circumstances, and they should be wary of spam messages and nonsecure Web sites. Regular monitoring of accounts, including one’s credit score, can detect suspicious behaviour early.

The arguably greater responsibility to prevent identity theft falls on the shoulders of businesses. First, it is the responsibility of companies with access to personally identifying information to protect it from unauthorized disclosure. Companies must take particular care in screening employees and training them to safeguard customer privacy. In addition, they have an obligation to create and implement systems to protect data from theft. Second, it is the responsibility of companies to monitor accounts for suspicious activity. Many credit card companies have a number of strategies for this, including regularly verifying unusually large purchases with the account holder before authorizing payment or requiring account-holder verification after several subsequent gas station purchases in a short period of time.