News
 Identity
Theft Often Done by Someone You Know
Are you a victim of identity theft? Chances are the
perpetrator might be someone you know. At least,
that’s according to a recent report from Experian-Gallup.
The latest Experian-Gallup Personal Credit Index
states that one in five consumers – about 21 percent
– who report theft of personal or financial
information say that the perpetrator was someone
they knew personally. In addition, 77 percent of
consumers polled think of credit card fraud as
identity theft.
The poll also finds that about one in six consumers
(16 percent) report having had their financial
information stolen, such as bank or credit card
numbers. About 12 percent state that their personal
information was stolen, such as their Social
Security number, driver’s license or birth
certificate.
Overall, about 13 percent of all consumers
experienced some monetary loss from having their
financial or personal information stolen. That
number includes 2 percent of consumers who have had
a new credit card or bank account set up in their
name, which is defined as identity theft. The other
11 percent can be classified as victims of financial
fraud rather than identity theft.
Most consumers have taken steps to prevent identity
theft from happening to them, but most said they
would do more if they knew what exactly to do. The
poll shows that 74 percent say they would take more
preventative measures if they only knew what to do.
The poll also states that 81 percent say they shred
financial documents or credit card offers before
throwing them in the trash. In addition, 52 percent
regularly check their credit reports and 46 percent
pay for anti-hacking software. About one in five (19
percent) have bought a credit monitoring product and
11 percent have paid for identity theft insurance.
|
|
|
Facebook
Twitter
