Identity Theft Victims Research Articles

Nothing Will Ever Be the Same: Acknowledging and Recovering from the Trauma of Identity Theft Victimization

This publication is a fact sheet intended for individuals who are interested in learning basic information about identity theft, victimization, and ways to navigate the process. The publication aims to inform readers and to help victims of identity theft minimize financial and personal setbacks. Written by Axton Betz-Hamilton, Randall A. Cantrell, and Heidi Liss Radunovich, and published by the UF/IFAS Department of Family, Youth and Community Sciences, June 2024.

Exploring the Role of Cognitive and Physical Limitations in Explaining Identity Theft Victimization

ABSTRACT We use data from the 2018 Identity Theft Supplement of the U.S. National Crime Victimization Survey to examine the relationship between cognitive or physical limitations and identity theft victimization from a Routine Activities theory perspective. Using the binary logistic regression and multiple imputation technique for handling the missing data, we regressed several outcomes of identity theft victimization on cognitive or physical limitations while controlling for online and offline routines including protective strategies, individual characteristics, and previous victimization. We also tested whether age moderates the relationship between cognitive or physical limitations and victimization outcomes. The results suggest that the relationship between cognitive or physical limitations and victimization is generally significant and positive except for credit card victimization Our findings also revealed that some of these relationships are moderated by age.

Hello, You’ve been hacked: a study of victim notification preferences

ABSTRACT In the context of identity theft, raising victims’ awareness is crucial to mitigate ensuing fraud. This study employs a two-part approach to evaluate the mode and content preferences for identity theft victimization notifications as well as recipients’ willingness to engage with these notifications. Notably, results underscore young adults’ inclination toward text message notifications featuring legitimizing credentials, signifying authenticity, and fostering rapid responses. Surprisingly, a randomized controlled trial yields a counterintuitive finding: actual identity theft victims display restrained interaction with text-based notifications, regardless of credential presence. The implications of these unexpected patterns guide theory and aid in the development of proactive policy initiatives.

Consequences of Identity Theft Victimization: Disabilities and Mental Distress

This study contributes to the growing literature on consequences of identity theft victimization as well as the broader literature on disabilities and victimization by exploring the connection between mental distress and disability status of an identity theft victim. This study analyzes data from the 2018 iteration of the National Crime Victimization Survey Identity Theft Supplement. Specifically, through logistic regression analysis, this study examines if severe mental distress experienced by identity theft victims varies in relation to their disability status and disability type. Identity theft victims with physical disabilities and multiple forms of disabilities are more likely than individuals with no disabilities to experience severe mental distress after their identity theft victimization. Practice and research implications are discussed.

Nonfinancial Consequences of Identity Theft Revisited: Examining the Association of Out-of-Pocket Losses With Physical or Emotional Distress and Behavioral Health

The study investigates whether nuanced measures of financial loss are associated with physical and/or emotional distress relating to one’s identity theft victimization. A subsample of victims of identity theft from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) Identity Theft Supplement ( n = 1,557) was examined. Financial loss was considered as the total amount lost, whether victims suffered any financial losses, and whether losses were in the 95th percentile. Stepwise negative binomial and logistic regressions were estimated for physical and emotional distress and behavioral health outcomes (i.e., both physical and emotional distress). Findings indicate that out-of-pocket losses were substantively associated with physical and emotional distress as well as behavioral health outcomes only when considering nuanced measures of monetary loss. Time taken to resolve identity theft was associated with increased distress across all outcomes. Nonfinancial consequences of identity theft are fundamentally different phenomena than financial loss and indicate the need for multifaceted responses which acknowledge these outcomes.

How Does Immigration Status and Citizenship Affect Identity Theft Victimization Risk in the US? Insights from the 2018 National Crime Victimization Survey Identity Theft Supplement

ABSTRACT There has been no research study to date in the United States (US) looking at how an individual’s immigration status and citizenship might affect their odds of becoming an identity theft victim. This study fills this gap by analyzing the relationship between immigration status and identity theft victimization risk with recently released data from the 2018 iteration of the US National Crime Victimization Survey’s Identity Theft Supplement. Descriptive analysis presents demographics, risky and protective behavior, and identity theft prevalence across US-born citizens, naturalized citizens, non-citizens, and individuals with an ambiguous citizenship status in the US. Logistic regression models explore the differences between these groups in their identity theft victimization risk controlling for other demographic factors and known correlates of identity theft. Results suggest that US-born citizens, naturalized citizens, and non-citizens are at the end of the spectrum with a higher risk of identity theft victimization, whereas individuals with an ambiguous immigration status are at the lower end. Implications of the study findings and future avenues for data collection and research are discussed.

Individual residence and identity theft: how residential characteristics shape exposure and risk of offline and online identity theft victimization

Purpose The purpose of this study is to examine the effect of micro-level place on identity theft victimization. This study uses the 2016 Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) to investigate whether aspects of an individual’s residence affect their likelihood of becoming identity theft victims. Design/methodology/approach The authors conduct logistic regressions of whether a respondent was an identity theft victim in the past year using the following variables as key predictors: number of housing units in a residence, whether the respondent operates a business out of their residence and if residence access is restricted. Findings The results suggest that location influences the likelihood of identity theft to a modest degree though some aspects of location (possibly those related to rewards perceptions) may be more relevant than others. Meanwhile, though location may influence initial target selection, whether someone is victimized may be more dependent on factors such as personal behavior. Originality/value To the best of the authors’ knowledge, this manuscript represents one of the first investigations into the relationship between microlevel place and the incidence of identity theft. Furthermore, it provides evidence that one does exist which bears further inquiry.

Financial fraud victimization: an examination of distress and financial complications

PurposeThis study expands the empirical understanding of financial fraud victims and the consequences that emerge as a result of financial fraud victimization. In addition, this study aims to assess the impact of the unique role victims play in financial fraud and the impact self-identifying as a victim has on the negative consequences they experience.Design/methodology/approachData from the Supplemental Fraud Survey to the National Crime Victimization Survey are used to assess the negative consequences of financial fraud victimization.FindingsResults suggest that victims of financial fraud experience increased distress and financial complications following their victimization experience. In addition, self-reported victim status is found to significantly increase a respondent’s likelihood of reporting emotional distress and financial complications. Implications for research, theory and policy are discussed.Originality/valueWhile empirical studies on the consequences of identity theft victimization have been increasing in recent years, financial fraud victimization remains understudied. Given the victim involvement in financial fraud, the consideration of financial fraud independent of identity theft fraud is vital.

Decisions, Decisions: An Analysis of Identity Theft Victims’ Reporting to Police, Financial Institutions, and Credit Bureaus

ABSTRACT Identity theft, the theft and misuse of another person’s identifying information, impacts approximately one-in-ten American adults annually. Despite its prevalence, low police reporting rates by victims means that the dark figure of identity theft remains substantial, with official statistics representing few cases. Instead, many identity theft victims report to credit card companies and banks, and some report to credit bureaus or other private institutions. Drawing on the 2016 National Crime Victimization Survey – Identity Theft Supplement, this paper investigates identity theft victims’ decisions to report to law enforcement, financial institutions, and credit bureaus. It finds that along with situational factors, measures of seriousness impact reporting to these institutions and most strongly predict reporting to law enforcement. Moreover, this paper tests for interaction effects between paying out of pocket for losses and the other measures of seriousness and finds that victims who pay out of pocket have distinct reporting patterns compared to those who are reimbursed. This paper thus contributes by improving our understanding of the nature of victimizations that come to the attention of identity theft’s various responding institutions.

Do Commonly Recommended Preventive Actions Deter Identity Theft Victimization? Findings from NCVS Identity Theft Surveys

ABSTRACT It remains unknown if taking commonly used preventive actions is related to identity theft. In the current study, we use a dataset featuring over 220,000 respondents to the National Crime Victimization Survey Identity Theft Supplement (NCVS ITS). The survey was conducted by the Bureau of Justice Statistics (BJS) first in 2012, then again in 2014, and once more in 2016. The findings reported here suggest that demographic variables (e.g., gender, income) and types of online activities (e.g., frequency of online shopping) are significantly related to identity theft victimization. An interesting additional finding is that among seven distinct types of preventive actions listed in the NCVS ITS survey (frequently checking credit reports, frequently changing passwords for financial accounts, employing purchase credit monitoring, shredding documents containing personal information, monitoring bank statements for suspect charges, using security software programs, and purchasing identity theft protection), shredding documents with personal information ALONE is significantly negatively related to identity theft victimization. All six other preventive actions are either positively related or unrelated to identity theft victimization. These findings generate practical implications and, most importantly, raise the question of whether some newly-fashioned preventive actions might provide better protection from identity theft protection.

Exploring the determinants of victimization and fear of online identity theft: an empirical study

The present study aims at understanding what factors contribute to the explanation of online identity theft (OIT) victimization and fear, using the Routine Activity Theory (RAT). Additionally, it tries to uncover the influence of factors such as sociodemographic variables, offline fear of crime, and computer perception skills. Data for the present study were collected from a self-reported online survey administered to a sample of university students and staff (N = 832, 66% female). Concerning the OIT victimization, binary logistic regression analysis showed that those who do not used credit card had lower odds of becoming an OIT victim, and those who reported visiting risky contents presented higher odds of becoming an OIT victim. Moreover, males were less likely than females of being an OIT victim. In turn, fear of OIT was explained by socioeconomic status (negatively associated), education (positively associated) and by fear of crime in general (positively associated). In addition, subjects who reported more online interaction with strangers were less fearful, and those reported more avoiding behaviors reported higher levels of fear of OIT. Finally, subjects with higher computer skills are less fearful. These results will be discussed in the line of routine activities approach and implications for online preventive behaviors will be outlined.

Increased Protection Versus the Cost of Increased Protection: Victimization and the Use of Protective Measures Against Identity Theft

Most identity theft victims experience no personal monetary loss or other financial problems; rational choice theory suggests that this could lead people to not change their behavior, increasing their future risk of victimization. Consequently, the current study will investigate if and how the severity and incidence of identity theft affect individuals’ protective behavior using the 2016 Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) victimization survey. It uses ordinary least squares (OLS) regression to predict the number of protective measures practiced and multinomial logistic regression to predict self-reported motivation for use of protective measures. The results indicate that victims use more protective measures than nonvictims and that victimization has a greater impact if it occurs repeatedly and/or the victims personally lost money or experienced other financial problems. However, there is evidence of a threshold effect. The multinomial results indicate victims who lost money or experienced other financial problems are more likely to say they practice protective measures because of their victimization.

A Comparison of the Financial, Emotional, and Physical Consequences of Identity Theft Victimization Among Familial and Non-Familial Victims

Identity theft victims often experience negative financial, emotional, and physical consequences. Many cases of identity theft are perpetrated by family members, yet little is known about consequences familial identity theft victims experience and how they may differ from those who were victimized by a non-relative. The purpose of this study was to examine potential differences in consequences of identity theft victimization among familial and non-familial identity theft victims. Findings indicate younger identity theft victims are more likely to experience feelings of worry and anxiousness due to victimization, relative to older identity theft victims. No differences were found among familial and non-familial identity theft victims regarding physical consequences of victimization, nor were any differences found in the amount of financial losses incurred.

Reporting behaviors of familiar identity theft victims: an empirical test of Black’s theory of law

PurposeFamiliar identity theft, which occurs when an individual known to a victim steals his/her identity, is a common problem in the USA. The purpose of this study was to understand familiar identity theft victims’ reporting behaviors using Black's (1976) theory of law as a conceptual framework.Design/methodology/approachData were obtained from the 2012, 2014, 2016 and 2018 administrations of the National Crime Victimization Survey – Identity Theft Supplement. A series of cross-tabulations were conducted to examine the relationship between reporting behaviors and age, minority, gender, income, marital status and education. Fisher’s exact test was used to interpret the findings.FindingsKey findings include older familiar identity theft victims who personally lost greater sums of money because of identity theft victimization were more likely to report to law enforcement than younger familiar identity theft victims who personally lost less money. Married familiar identity theft victims were less likely to report to law enforcement than those who were not married.Originality/valueThis study extends the work of Golladay (2017) to explore the reporting behaviors of a population of identity theft victims that have been largely overlooked in empirical literature.

Everyone is victimized or only the naïve? The conflicting discourses surrounding identity theft victimization

Everyone is victimized or only the naïve? The conflicting discourses surrounding identity theft victimization

Everyone is victimized or only the naïve? The conflicting discourses surrounding identity theft victimization

Identity theft impacts millions of North Americans annually and has increased over the last decade. Victims of identity theft can face various consequences, including losses of time and money, as well as emotional, physical, and relational effects. Scholars have found that institutional messaging surrounding identity theft places responsibility on individuals for their own protection, which can mask institutions’ roles in identity theft’s prevalence. This paper presents findings from interviews with Canadian victims of identity theft and argues that conflicting discourses surround this crime. While identity theft victimizations are viewed as inevitable in the digital age, victims are often simultaneously stereotyped as old, naïve, or non-technologically savvy. Within this context, this research also finds that victims can express varying degrees of self-blame for having provided perpetrators with information or for having not better protected themselves. Finally, this paper argues that victims’ embarrassment and self-blame may impede help-seeking and reporting.

Identity Theft and Older Adults: How Minorities and the Poor Suffer the Worst Consequences

Society’s growing reliance on technology to transfer and store private information has created more opportunities for identity thieves to access personal data. Prior work using data from the National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) Identity Theft Supplement (ITS) showed that baby boomers were significantly more likely than Millennials to be victims of identity theft and that older people and minorities experience more severe economic and psychological consequences. This study examines how socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics, and incident-specific factors relate to how much money is stolen during identity theft, the likelihood of experiencing out-of-pocket costs, and emotional distress among identity theft victims age 65 and older. Using combined data from the 2014 and 2016 NCVS-ITS, this study examines the correlates of financial and psychological consequences of identity theft among 2,307 victims age 65 and older. Older Black victims are more likely to have greater amounts of money stolen and are more likely feel distressed than older non-Latino white identity theft victims. The most disadvantaged older adults living at or below the federal poverty level are nearly five times as likely to suffer out-of-pocket costs. The length of time information is misused and the hours spent resolving identity theft are significantly associated with emotional distress. More than one-third of older victims experience moderate to severe emotional distress following identity theft, and those who can least afford it suffer out-of-pocket costs. Greater advocacy and psychological support are needed to help older adults recover, in addition to tools to protect their personal information from misuse.

The Financial and Psychological Impact of Identity Theft Among Older Adults.

Background and ObjectivesSociety’s growing reliance on technology to transfer private information has created more opportunities for identity thieves to access and misuse personal data. Research on identity theft specifically among adults aged 65 and older is virtually nonexistent, yet research focusing on victims of all ages indicates a positive association between age, minority status, and more severe economic and psychological consequences.Research Design and MethodsIdentity theft measures come from a sample of more than 2,000 self-reported victims aged 65 and older from the nationally representative National Crime Victimization Survey Identity Theft Supplements administered in 2014 and 2016. Regression was used to examine how socioeconomic status, demographic characteristics, and incident-specific factors relate to how much money is stolen, the likelihood of experiencing out-of-pocket costs, and emotional distress among older identity theft victims.ResultsOlder Black identity theft victims were more likely to have greater amounts of money stolen and were more likely to feel distressed by the incident than older White victims. The most disadvantaged older adults living at or below the federal poverty level were significantly more likely to suffer out-of-pocket costs. The length of time information was misused, experiencing subsequent financial problems and problems with friends/family, and the hours spent resolving identity theft were positively associated with emotional distress. Among those aged 65 and older, age was not significantly associated with losses or emotional distress.Discussion and ImplicationsOlder adults living in poverty need more resources to assist with recovery and reporting identity theft to law enforcement. Limiting the extent of losses from identity theft and reducing the length of time information is misused may reduce the emotional toll of identity theft on older victims.

Explaining Fear of Identity Theft Victimization Using a Routine Activity Approach

The current study aims to estimate and explain citizens’ fear of identity theft victimization by examining data collected from a nationally representative sample of South Korean residents. Specifically, we compared participants’ levels of fear of identity theft victimization with fear of other types of crime using paired-samples t-tests. We found that fear of identity theft victimization is significantly higher than fear of other types of crime. Drawing on routine activity theory, we explored the relationship between victimization (i.e., identity theft), online proximity to motivated offenders (i.e., phishing), online exposure to motivated offenders (e.g., online banking and shopping), target suitability (e.g., downloading pirated media), and fear of identity theft victimization. Results from ordinal logistic regression models suggest that victimization and online exposure to motivated offenders were significantly related to fear of identity theft victimization.

Preventing Identity Theft: Perspectives on Technological Solutions from Industry Insiders

ABSTRACT An estimated 26 million American citizens per year have been victims of an identity-based crime. This study contributes to the scholarship on financial crimes facilitated through identity-based criminal activity by examining the views on technological approaches to the prevention of identity theft among 50 professionals working in the identity-based crime victim services, including those from the public sector and private industry. The professionally diverse sample included private investigators, fraud examiners, victim service providers, and executives of firms offering victim services and protection services. Data were collected during a series of focus groups held at professional conferences. The paper reports on the views held by focus group participants on specific technological solutions to identity theft victimization, including biometric scanning, dark web scanning, subscription -based monitoring programs, and broader thematic observations about the current environment for protecting information, emerging sources of risk, and policy recommendations identified by focus group participants. Perspectives from insiders about the pros and cons of each approach can provide researchers and enforcement agencies with enhanced capacity to avoid empty technological promises that fail to protect victims from subsequent victimizations.