Identity Theft: The Fastest Growing Crime
Identity theft is one of the fastest growing crimes in the United States. In the year 2014 according to the Javelin Strategy & Research group, $16 billion dollars were stolen from 12.7 million identity fraud victims. (Javelin Strategy & Research, 2015) Many cases of identity theft usually go unreported and the numbers could be higher according to the USA today which estimates 130 million from about 1 million in the year 2007. (Anderson J. G., 2013) In today age and time, identity theft is becoming more of a problem, with access to names, Social Security numbers, addresses, phone numbers and other personal information. Let’s face it, identify theft is a serious problem that affects millions of innocent victims and although there is information
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on preventing identity theft, the government must still step in and implement better laws and regulations.
Identity Theft in the workplace
The most secured places for instance the federal government is being affect by this vicious crime and one would think this would be impossible. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) discovered over several years ago that there were two incidents of cybersecurity that impacted the data of Federal government employees, contractors and others that have their personnel files maintained by OPM. Most of the information stemmed from the background investigation databases, which includes sensitive information, including Social Security Numbers of 21.5 million individuals. (Office of Personnel Management, 2016). OMP took steps in providing those Federal government employees, contractors and others who were affected the choice of signing up with a monitoring service free of charge. In interviewing some of my coworkers, it was discovered that they received a notice similar to what I received, indicating that their information might have been involved in this database breach and that it was recommended that they sign up with the monitoring service that was provided by OPM. They all indicated that they did sign up with the credit monitoring service and as of today, no one in that group identity has been stolen due to this breach. (Dupree, 2016)
Identity theft is misconduct that should be taken very seriously because it is considered a federal offense, according to the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998. (Federal Trace Commission, 1998) In 2004, the Identity Theft Enhancement Act was passed. The purpose of the enhancement act was to assert penalties for intensified identity fraud. The crime comprised of stolen identity to commit more serious crimes such as terrorist actions, firearms misdemeanors, and immigration violations. The consequences for committing crimes such as these include stiff penalties, which are expensive charges. Solid penalties make evident that the United States government take identity fraud as a grim crime. Unfortunately, it is very hard for authorities to take legal action and catch the criminals and recompense the sufferers’ losses.
Identity Theft Targets
Criminals usually target the most vulnerable people, the number one target of identity theft is people ages 18-24. (Javelin Strategy & Research, 2015) Usually people in that age group are so digitally oriented. They put detail information about their life on the web, especially social media, without any safeguard. These groups of people tend to move around a lot, move in different career paths and education settings, they lose track of the fact that somebody may have stolen their identity. The senior citizens are another group of individuals that are target of identity theft. They tend to be too trusting, vulnerable and easily persuasive in giving out personal information to others without thinking about the consequence. The elderly think that the world is still what it used to be and no one would ever take advantage of him or her. In children identity theft, a family member or relative, usually a child’s own parent steals their identity, using the child’s social security number to open credit card accounts, obtain cell phones, place utility bills in the child’s name, take out loans or even apply for a mortgage. Also, children often do not find out about their identities being stolen until they reach adulthood, which is years later and discover that their credit history has been damaged. Criminals pick on the ignorance of society, and that is why it is so important to be very aware of what is happening in today’s society. (Anderson J. C., 2013)
Technology in Identity Theft
Just thinking of having one’s identity stolen is very scary. We now live in a world of technology and we try keeping up with the latest. Using the computer makes everyday tasks much easier and more efficient with paying bills, shopping, banking, and filling out job applications, etc. and in doing this we rely on secure transfer of data on the computers and websites. Criminals are becoming more advance in hacking into computers and phishing scams, there is a risk of sharing data electronically with a secure setting. Hacking into personal computers and phishing scams are involved with the risks of sharing data electronically. Hackers manage to access restricted parts of the Internet and gain access to other networks, once inside they can see private information and profit from it. Email scams known, as “phishing” is an approach where individuals are deceived into handing over their own personal information to a theft that is posing as a lawful company or business. According to the Wall Street Journal, there were more than 9.9 million cases of identity theft last year in the United States. (Police)
Identity theft cases are sometimes hard to identify the suspect(s).
Not only can a person’s identity be stolen from the web, identity theft also occurs when thieves go through the trash, steal mail, and use con scams to trick a person into revealing sensitive details about their identity. In safeguarding information that may be stored on a computer, make sure to use antivirus software, encryption of files on the computer, this uses keys to lock and unlock data while the information is being transmitted over the internet and the use of firewall, can be used to limit an application’s access to the computer, avoiding hackers from trying to take over the computer to gain access to information that is stored on …show more content…
it.
Steps to Take to Avoid Being Victimized
There are steps that can be taken to avoid identity theft, which is securing social security numbers, do not give out the number over the phone, do not carry the social security card in a wallet or write it on checks.
Only give it out when absolutely necessary and trust the individual who wants this information. Avoid responding to an unsolicited request of personal information over the phone, by mail or online. Protect passwords or pin numbers from others while at an ATM or on a computer. Pay attention to billing and financial statements to make sure no incorrect information is present and store personal information in a safe place. Create hard to figure out passwords that thieves cannot easily guess and most importantly, obtain a credit report yearly and review thoroughly for incorrect information. Do not use the internet without installing a firewall, antivirus software to protect web browser, shred important documents that contain account information or personal identifiers, keep important documents in a locked safe, avoid having sensitive mail come through the routine post office delivery, try to pick up that type of mail from the post office and use automatic deposits for paychecks. In phishing and pharming scams, thieves often use fake websites, email addresses, or pretend to be a legitimate organization to obtain personal information like account numbers and passwords. (USA.gov,
2015)
According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), an estimate of 17.6 million persons, or 7% of all U.S. residents age 16 or older, were victims of identity theft in the year 2014. (Harrell, 2015). The types of misused information with those affected were through bank and credit card accounts. Most banking institutions and credit card companies are now taking measures to secure their accounts by issuing new credit or debit cards with microchips. A personal friend became a victim of identity theft in the year 2013. She explained that her wallet was stolen and one of the biggest mistakes she made was having her social security card in the wallet. Identity theft from a stolen social security card is one of the most common ways people become victims. If a person loses or if their wallet was stolen, one cannot simply cancel the card and change the number. Several credit cards were open using her social security number which caused her to have debts of over $30,000. She went through several channels of trying to straighten this out. Her first step was contacting the local authorities who immediately directed her to contact all three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on her credit report and also to contact the Social Security Administration. Some of the damage was already done, but by her immediately placing fraud alerts, this stopped more accounts from being open under her name. This happens in the year 2013 and to this day, she has to renew her alerts on her credit reports. One of the lessons she learned, was to never carry your Social Security card in a wallet. (Dupree, 2016)
If a person becomes a victim of identity theft, report the crime to the police department immediately, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which will alert and help law officials across the nation track down identity thieves and stop them. Close all the accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently and contact all three credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on credit reports. (Transunion, Equifax, and Experian)
Conclusion
Identity theft is a growing trend and criminals are stealing and using others identity and a person must be aware of what is happening. The government has taken steps, by passing laws to help protect the people, but we can’t always depend on them, we must be very carefully without secure and sensitive information. Just remember that thieves can run up thousands of dollars of charges and other obligations all in another person’s name. So obtaining the necessary steps in avoiding identity theft will help a person from becoming a victim of identity theft.
on preventing identity theft, the government must still step in and implement better laws and regulations.
Identity Theft in the workplace
The most secured places for instance the federal government is being affect by this vicious crime and one would think this would be impossible. The Office of Personnel Management (OPM) discovered over several years ago that there were two incidents of cybersecurity that impacted the data of Federal government employees, contractors and others that have their personnel files maintained by OPM. Most of the information stemmed from the background investigation databases, which includes sensitive information, including Social Security Numbers of 21.5 million individuals. (Office of Personnel Management, 2016). OMP took steps in providing those Federal government employees, contractors and others who were affected the choice of signing up with a monitoring service free of charge. In interviewing some of my coworkers, it was discovered that they received a notice similar to what I received, indicating that their information might have been involved in this database breach and that it was recommended that they sign up with the monitoring service that was provided by OPM. They all indicated that they did sign up with the credit monitoring service and as of today, no one in that group identity has been stolen due to this breach. (Dupree, 2016)
Identity theft is misconduct that should be taken very seriously because it is considered a federal offense, according to the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998. (Federal Trace Commission, 1998) In 2004, the Identity Theft Enhancement Act was passed. The purpose of the enhancement act was to assert penalties for intensified identity fraud. The crime comprised of stolen identity to commit more serious crimes such as terrorist actions, firearms misdemeanors, and immigration violations. The consequences for committing crimes such as these include stiff penalties, which are expensive charges. Solid penalties make evident that the United States government take identity fraud as a grim crime. Unfortunately, it is very hard for authorities to take legal action and catch the criminals and recompense the sufferers’ losses.
Identity Theft Targets
Criminals usually target the most vulnerable people, the number one target of identity theft is people ages 18-24. (Javelin Strategy & Research, 2015) Usually people in that age group are so digitally oriented. They put detail information about their life on the web, especially social media, without any safeguard. These groups of people tend to move around a lot, move in different career paths and education settings, they lose track of the fact that somebody may have stolen their identity. The senior citizens are another group of individuals that are target of identity theft. They tend to be too trusting, vulnerable and easily persuasive in giving out personal information to others without thinking about the consequence. The elderly think that the world is still what it used to be and no one would ever take advantage of him or her. In children identity theft, a family member or relative, usually a child’s own parent steals their identity, using the child’s social security number to open credit card accounts, obtain cell phones, place utility bills in the child’s name, take out loans or even apply for a mortgage. Also, children often do not find out about their identities being stolen until they reach adulthood, which is years later and discover that their credit history has been damaged. Criminals pick on the ignorance of society, and that is why it is so important to be very aware of what is happening in today’s society. (Anderson J. C., 2013)
Technology in Identity Theft
Just thinking of having one’s identity stolen is very scary. We now live in a world of technology and we try keeping up with the latest. Using the computer makes everyday tasks much easier and more efficient with paying bills, shopping, banking, and filling out job applications, etc. and in doing this we rely on secure transfer of data on the computers and websites. Criminals are becoming more advance in hacking into computers and phishing scams, there is a risk of sharing data electronically with a secure setting. Hacking into personal computers and phishing scams are involved with the risks of sharing data electronically. Hackers manage to access restricted parts of the Internet and gain access to other networks, once inside they can see private information and profit from it. Email scams known, as “phishing” is an approach where individuals are deceived into handing over their own personal information to a theft that is posing as a lawful company or business. According to the Wall Street Journal, there were more than 9.9 million cases of identity theft last year in the United States. (Police)
Identity theft cases are sometimes hard to identify the suspect(s).
Not only can a person’s identity be stolen from the web, identity theft also occurs when thieves go through the trash, steal mail, and use con scams to trick a person into revealing sensitive details about their identity. In safeguarding information that may be stored on a computer, make sure to use antivirus software, encryption of files on the computer, this uses keys to lock and unlock data while the information is being transmitted over the internet and the use of firewall, can be used to limit an application’s access to the computer, avoiding hackers from trying to take over the computer to gain access to information that is stored on …show more content…
it.
Steps to Take to Avoid Being Victimized
There are steps that can be taken to avoid identity theft, which is securing social security numbers, do not give out the number over the phone, do not carry the social security card in a wallet or write it on checks.
Only give it out when absolutely necessary and trust the individual who wants this information. Avoid responding to an unsolicited request of personal information over the phone, by mail or online. Protect passwords or pin numbers from others while at an ATM or on a computer. Pay attention to billing and financial statements to make sure no incorrect information is present and store personal information in a safe place. Create hard to figure out passwords that thieves cannot easily guess and most importantly, obtain a credit report yearly and review thoroughly for incorrect information. Do not use the internet without installing a firewall, antivirus software to protect web browser, shred important documents that contain account information or personal identifiers, keep important documents in a locked safe, avoid having sensitive mail come through the routine post office delivery, try to pick up that type of mail from the post office and use automatic deposits for paychecks. In phishing and pharming scams, thieves often use fake websites, email addresses, or pretend to be a legitimate organization to obtain personal information like account numbers and passwords. (USA.gov,
2015)
According to the United States Department of Justice (DOJ), an estimate of 17.6 million persons, or 7% of all U.S. residents age 16 or older, were victims of identity theft in the year 2014. (Harrell, 2015). The types of misused information with those affected were through bank and credit card accounts. Most banking institutions and credit card companies are now taking measures to secure their accounts by issuing new credit or debit cards with microchips. A personal friend became a victim of identity theft in the year 2013. She explained that her wallet was stolen and one of the biggest mistakes she made was having her social security card in the wallet. Identity theft from a stolen social security card is one of the most common ways people become victims. If a person loses or if their wallet was stolen, one cannot simply cancel the card and change the number. Several credit cards were open using her social security number which caused her to have debts of over $30,000. She went through several channels of trying to straighten this out. Her first step was contacting the local authorities who immediately directed her to contact all three credit bureaus to place a fraud alert on her credit report and also to contact the Social Security Administration. Some of the damage was already done, but by her immediately placing fraud alerts, this stopped more accounts from being open under her name. This happens in the year 2013 and to this day, she has to renew her alerts on her credit reports. One of the lessons she learned, was to never carry your Social Security card in a wallet. (Dupree, 2016)
If a person becomes a victim of identity theft, report the crime to the police department immediately, file a complaint with the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), which will alert and help law officials across the nation track down identity thieves and stop them. Close all the accounts that have been tampered with or opened fraudulently and contact all three credit reporting agencies to place a fraud alert on credit reports. (Transunion, Equifax, and Experian)
Conclusion
Identity theft is a growing trend and criminals are stealing and using others identity and a person must be aware of what is happening. The government has taken steps, by passing laws to help protect the people, but we can’t always depend on them, we must be very carefully without secure and sensitive information. Just remember that thieves can run up thousands of dollars of charges and other obligations all in another person’s name. So obtaining the necessary steps in avoiding identity theft will help a person from becoming a victim of identity theft.