February 20th, 2008
Identity theft down 12% in 2007
Overall identity fraud is declining in the United States: down by an estimated 12% over 2006, which represents a total fraud reduction of $6 bln. Fraudsters are turning to lower-tech methods by utilizing telephone theft more than ever before, Javelin Research says.
Access through mail and telephone transactions grew from 3% of ID theft in 2006 to 40% in 2007. Fraud risk is lowest in the Northeast while residents in California and other states are at the highest risk. Young adults who fall victim to fraud are most likely to purchase ID fraud insurance and sign up for fraud alerts. Older adults who fall victim often react by no longer sending bill payments and checks through unsecured mailboxes.
