Identity theft

About: Identity theft is a research topic. Over the lifetime, 2284 publications have been published within this topic receiving 31700 citations.

Understanding victims of identity theft: A grounded theory approach

Abstract: Being a victim of identity theft can be a devastating and life-changing event. Once the victim discovers the misuse they need to begin the process of recovery. For the “lucky” victims this may take only a couple of phone calls and a small amount of time; however, some victims may experience difficulties for many year. In order to recover, victims of crime require support and assistance; however, within Australia this support is sadly lacking. In order to identify the issues currently faced by victims of identity theft as they work through the recovery process, a Grounded Theory methodology was identified as most appropriate. This paper provides a brief overview of the history of the research project; a brief introduction of grounded theory with a focus on preconceived ideas and their implications; and a description of the research project currently being undertaken. A discussion of some issues experienced when using grounded theory within an IT department with very little experience of qualitative research will be provided, along with some preliminary results.

Putting Identity Theft on Ice: Freezing Credit Reports to Prevent Lending to Impostors

Abstract: In 2003, in a nationally-representative telephone survey of 1,000 Americans, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) found that 12% of respondents were a victim of some form of identity theft in the previous five years. The crime affects millions of individuals and imposes billions of dollars of costs on the economy: the FTC found that approximately 9.9 million individuals were victims of identity theft in 2002, that the crime cost businesses $47 billion, and victims incurred $5 billion in losses and 297 million hours in wasted time recovering from the crime.

The Digitized Self as Public Tender: Conceptualizing Informational Privacy at the Intersection of Information Technology, Commerce, and Public Policy

Abstract: This article identifies the key issues and interests influencing the informational privacy debate, namely, new information technologies, the mass media, the identity industry, and lawmakers. It argues that new information technologies undermine informational privacy by facilitating personal record (mis)management and (ab)use, that sensational coverage by the media of identity theft, data breach, or record misplacement promotes, even if inadvertently, more the interests of commercial data brokers than those of consumers. The article also asserts that although the identity industry, consumer privacy advocates, and federal lawmakers all share a genuine desire to provide greater protections to individuals' personal records, they differ on the nature and scope of such protection because of their contrasting perceptions of informational privacy.

National Identity Cards: Fourth and Fifth Amendment Issues

Abstract: In the past three years there have been serious calls for a national identity system whose centerpiece would be some form of national identity card. Such a system is seen mainly as a tool against terrorists, but also as a useful response to illegal immigration, identity theft, and electoral fraud. This article analyzes the Fourth and Fifth Amendment issues in two major features of any likely national identity system: requests or demands that individuals present their identification cards; and governmental collection, retention, and use of personal information to be used in identity checks. These issues are evaluated in several different contexts in which they might plausibly arise. The analysis takes account of Illinois v. Lidster and Hiibel v. Sixth Dist. Court of Nevada, two cases bearing on the issues that were decided by the Supreme Court during its 2003 term. The article concludes that while the Fourth Amendment might bar certain practices, and block others depending on their purpose, it would be possible to have a constitutional national identity card system of a fairly comprehensive type. Moreover, the Fifth Amendment self-incrimination clause does not present a significant obstacle. The constitution may reduce the potential benefits of requiring a national identity card, but it does not prevent us from having and using one. Even where an identity system would not strictly run afoul of the Fourth and Fifth Amendments, however, an analysis of the interests those provisions are designed to protect provides an insight into the price in privacy and liberty a national identity card would exact. The article also indicates how these effects might be mitigated somewhat in the system's design. In that sense, this article seeks to illuminate not only what kind of national identity system the U.S. lawfully could have, but how it might be devised, and, implicitly, whether we want to have one at all.