Identity Theft
Cheyenne Jones
CJUS 363-B01
Abstract
Identity theft is one of the most widely used crimes which involves the involuntary usage of
personal data by conniving individuals aiming for monetary or social gains. For an individual to
impersonate another, a clear violation of rights, crucial information, and dignity is present. With
the advancement of technology, identity threat spreads across the nation as well as the world.
Having access to an insensible individual’s information, damages their reputation and credibility
indefinitely. Cybercrime continues to cultivate, making it an obligation for security procedures
and protocols, together with legislation, to fully battle the concern. Understanding the
frequency, types, risks, and options to safeguard information, individuals can strike the problem
with certainty of efficiency and improved invulnerability. This paper explores the many outlets
of identity theft prevention and discusses the types of identity theft that can occur, alongside
statistics and essential studies performed.
Keywords: identity theft, cybercrime, security, legislation
Introduction
In this evolving age of technological advances and data collection, increasingly, the most
important information of individuals is being taken advantage of by thriving criminals. Any
identification, numbers, or passwords that define a person or when an individual purchases items
online at any given time, are both equal in vulnerability, creating avenues for manipulative and
conniving criminals to have in their grasp. The exposure of fundamental information online can
lead to a jackpot of data for a criminal to acquire and take advantage of, leading in one of the
most heinous cybercrimes: Identity Theft. With this form of theft growing on a day to day basis,
in magnitude, and seriousness, concerns for protective efforts alongside the emergent age of
information and technology cultivation. With there being numerous outlets for a criminal to
utilize for identification stealing, there are an abundance of defensive services to combat any
hazards disconcerting to an individual’s identification safety. Identity theft has grown far more
rampant and poses a much greater threat to personal security than in years past, having such a
heavy impact to encourage individuals to utilize greater safety determinations and prevention
techniques to safeguard private material from unknown threats.
Overview of Identity Theft
The age of digitalization has brought many conveniences, as well as a calamitous amount
of exposure to ill-conceived individuals who are capable of obtaining information to use in a
manipulative manner. Whether it be completing purchases in the comfortability of home,
viewing monetary accounts for bill payments and monitoring expenses, performing employment
duties or simply indulging in social media, the luxury of a paperless life is progressively going to
ruin due to identity theft cases growing in numbers, dampening the supposed invulnerability
individuals may have in mind. Identity theft ultimately occurs when an individual unknowingly
provides information to any website or corporation without ensuring a safety net to fend off any
problems with authenticity or theft. The history of identity theft dates back beyond the first
fraudulency and continues to blossom alongside the misguidance of individuals who believe that
their recorded data is under lock and key when completing purchases, organizing payments or
simply logging into social media.
Overview of Prevention Methods
The act of being gullible can be a man’s worst enemy. Gullibility oftentimes results in
problems with trust, evasion and efficiency, leading an individual towards distractions from
uncovering properly instituted methods of safeguarding themselves from the unknown. With that
being said, identity theft can be evaluated and prevented on a skeletal level. Looking at the big
picture, one can argue that the victim themselves are too naïve to understand cyber threats and
continue with everyday interactions and transactions on the internet. The phenomenon of identity
theft sweeps the nation by surprise, being one of the most frequent cybercrimes, while also
potentially being one of the toughest to solve accurately. Methods of safety such as verification
modules or coding, security questions, or even login alert systems are just a few ways that
individuals whom utilize the internet on a daily basis can use to evade dangers across the span of
the world wide web. Prevention methods have grown and evolved in popularity, making them an
essential requirement, fundamentally placing crucial information in a metaphorical vault when an
individual operates on the internet.
Evolution of Identity Theft and Prevention Methods
Then v. Now
Living in a cyber-dominated world, distinguishing credibility when using the internet is
crucial to the determination of threatening and non-threatening databases or websites. According
to Keith B. Anderson, Erik Durbin, and Michael A. Salinger, authors of “Identity Theft”, “Public
awareness of identity theft as both a personal threat and a public policy issue has increased
substantially” (p. 171). As technology grew, the knowledge and longevity of cybercrime rose to
greater depths along with it. The amount of data stored on the web continues to increase
exponentially over the years, changing the way individuals interact and conduct business.
Amongst the data collected is personal information containing addresses, birthdates, social
security numbers, and bank information, each tempting a criminal mind to perform illicit actions,
using the collection of personal material to their advantage and discretion. Since the first illicit
cybercrime, the popularity and effectiveness has grown to greater lengths, while the prevention
methodology generates a greater strength alongside it, ultimately facing off in an endless duel.
Types of Identity Theft
While the years have varied in determining the most mentionable form of identity theft,
the most common way that offenders commit identity theft is by obtaining an individual’s credit
card information and using it to their heinous advantage, forging credit cards in the victim’s
name and using them for purchases. Abdullah Maitlo, Nisreen Ameen, Hamid Reza Peikari, and
Mahmood Shah, authors of “Preventing identity theft Identifying major barriers to knowledge-
sharing in online retail organizations” states that, “The major challenges associated with
identity- related offences include credit problems for consumers (such as aggravation by debt
collectors and the rejection of loan applications), disruption to normal life (such as reputation
damage) and the psychological difficulty of providing personal data to organizations and banks
during an investigation (Kirk, 2014; Spanaki et al., 2018; Tsohou and Holtkamp, 2018)” (p.
1184). Every
year, millions of individuals fall victim of fraudulent behavior that costs the nation’s economy
huge expenses, wreaking havoc on the victim and the country’s financial stability. In addition to
monetary manipulation, an individual’s birth identity can be exploited in dissolute and corrupt
methods of the criminal choice. Donncha Marron, author of “Alter Reality: Governing the Risk
of Identity Theft” proclaims, “Oregon Assistant District Attorney Sean Hoar (2001)—a high-
profile prosecutor of identity-theft crimes—pinpoints the widespread proliferation of social
security numbers as personal identifiers and the increased commercial exploitation of the internet
as major factors in increasing the possibility of private information being used for nefarious
purposes” (p. 22-23). A social security number can be used in a multitude of avenues, including
opening bank accounts, applying for loans and credit cards, or simply posing as that particular
individual to escape reality. Alternatively, criminally inclined individuals can simply utilize an
individual’s identity to transform the way their current lifestyle is, obtaining items or funds to
provide a much more “suitable life” to live. Identity theft causes an array of problems to those
victimized, resulting in inevitable corrupted usage of their important personal information.
Types of Prevention Methods
Problem-solving results in the avoidance of threatening behavior. Identity theft is no
joke when it comes to severity and efforts to remedy the subject. Moreover, there are multiple
avenues an individual can take to avoid identification manipulation head-on, rather than waiting
anxiously for an answer. Firstly, one can assume that security questions asked can be a potential
avenue in preserving crucial information of an individual, resulting in an email alert entailing a
login detection, leading an individual to believe that their security has been tampered with.
Secondly, identifying and authenticating an individual’s identity post-purchase, work sign in, or
media usage can prevent a criminal from utilizing the recorded data from their device. Anderson,
Durbin, and Salinger (2008) state:
Preventing identity theft means verifying that buyers are who they claim to be. Sellers
and creditors deploy a wide variety of techniques to perform this task. Authentication
techniques can be classified into three categories: “token-based” authentication, based on
a physical object in the possession of the user; “knowledge-based” authentication, based
on the possession of information that only the individual would be expected to know; and
documents (Clarke, 1994). Creditors can also sometimes use methods based on the
transaction itself, such as comparing a shipping address to a billing address, identifying
unusual purchase patterns, or calling the customer at home to confirm a purchase. (p. 183)
Tracing information back to the user who obtained an object, logged into a work program or
utilized media can be a perfect safeguard for anyone to implement in order to potentially locate
the offender who is unlawfully exploiting their identity. An additional method that an individual
can utilize to contain their personal information from the evils of the outside world, is security
training. Undergoing a security training session can allow an individual to gain a better
understanding and thorough distinction of cybercrime to overcome potential threats on their
private life. Doing various questionnaires and obtaining data across a variety of ages, Joseph
Ricci, Frank Breitinger, and Ibrahim Baggili, authors of “Survey results on adults and
cybersecurity education, question individuals in regard to history, experience, and desire for
training in cybersecurity and the latest technologies, stating, “…over two-thirds (159 or 70%)
never had training before…over 80% of participants were interested in attending some kind of
cybersecurity training.” (p. 239). Participating in a questionnaire or ultimately participating in a
training to gain a better understanding of security measures can allocate for better decision-
making to share information, or not and awareness of threatening or suspicious behavior, leading
towards the prevention of identity theft as a whole. Prevention of cybercrimes can be tricky to
accomplish in the greatest degree; however, having confidence and determination to uncover lost
and manipulated details about an individual can result in financial or even social, life or death.
Pinpointing Identity Theft
The Problem’s Roots
The progression of identity theft and its frequency typically affects those who are
oblivious, or those who put little consideration into the impending coercions of the internet
saving private information within their software mechanisms. Norah Ylang (2020), author of
“Capable guardianship against identity theft; Demographic insights based on a national sample
of US adults” states:
Despite legislative efforts, however, individuals still have a vital role in protecting their
personal data. Carelessness or lack of attention on the part of the consumer such as
neglecting to protect or change passwords, disposing of identity information in regular
trash instead of a shredder or failing to secure regular mail or access to personal laptops
can undo the preventative work by governments and businesses. As such, policymakers
and scholars agree that consumer education regarding identity theft and fraud should be
emphasized (Gilbert and Archer, 2012). (p. 131)
To piggyback on her data, Gilbert and Archer, state that, “The responsibility for identity theft
prevention can be said to fall on three groups: the consumers that provide the information, the
organizations (including businesses and governments) that collect and use the information, and
legislative bodies (including national and regional governments) that regulate the handling of
personal information.”(p .20-21). Ultimately, it falls into the potential victim’s hands to salvage
their information. While the government is involved, individuals should contest the problem as
well. Emphasis on safety bombards an individual’s mind when it comes to their current lack of
knowledge or current security networking. Analyzing identity thieves, the lust for funds or
notoriety are two popular reasons behind their efforts to encrypt and steal an individual’s private
info. For some, the need for money may be fueled by the desire to uphold a thrilling persona
characterized by living in the fast lane and possible drug usage. Others, use the gathered
proceeds of their criminal actions to support a more conventional life, including paying bills or
buying updated technology. Although the desire for money is a common motivator amongst
street-level and white-collar criminals, the selection of identity theft as their choice of crime may
result in denial and justification that their actions caused no real harm. Overall, identity theft
derives within the world wide web and its wide variety of outlets to be manipulated by those who
are ignorant or show little attention to threatening behaviors.
The Necessity for Safety Measures
Importance of Protocols
Efforts to relinquish an individual from identity theft can be troublesome; however, they
significantly ease tensions of those at risk. Thomas Martecchini, author of “A Day in Court for
Data Breach Plaintiffs: Preserving Standing Based on Increased Risk of Identity Theft After
Clapper v. Amnesty International USA”, adds, “Although identity theft can have significant
effects, any resulting costs are confined to the economic sector and are thus remediable in a way
that physical or abstract environmental injuries are not” (p. 1490). The levels of concern for
combatting identity theft vary in severity, despite it having significant effects on an individual’s
life. With that being said, victims and those who have not been target tend to stray in
opinionating on the efforts of safety and the anxieties of fraudulent behavior on the web. John
Gilbert and Norm Archer, authors of “Consumer identity theft prevention and identity fraud
detection behaviors” state:
The effect of level of concern on identity theft and fraud prevention and mitigation
behaviors is statistically significant but small. The reason is suggested by the fact that the
behaviors of those who are not at all concerned about being victims are statistically the
same as those who are extremely concerned. Those who take identity theft and fraud very
seriously may use measures that they believe protect them from victimization. Concern
may thus be moderated by the perceived effectiveness of behaviors intended to prevent
identity theft. (p. 33)
Putting into account the importance of preserving information, individuals’ protection efforts are
being put to the test, regarding how effective threatening online behavior affects them. Utilizing
distinguished protocols to combat any threat on the web ultimately eases the tension of losing
vital information to criminals with technologically advanced maliciousness. Conducting an
awareness program or comprehending when a threat is present ultimately saves individuals from
monetary and social ruin. Ricci, Breitinger and Baggili state within their studies:
Abela (2017) found that 80% of Americans admitted to risky cybersecurity behaviors.
Nearly half of the 2,006 participants used unsecured networks, one third clicked
unfamiliar links on social media, one third downloaded third-party sourced files, one
third opened unsolicited email attachments and one third had the same password for all
logins. Much of which should be common cybersecurity practice among adults. There
were several other concerning findings that indicated poor practices by adults that shop
online. (p. 244)
Based on this information, individuals can recognize that in order to diminish the problem, the
susceptible consumers who provide the information, without authenticating the source or logging
out properly, should reconsider providing material to ultimately avoid fabricating the problem.
Government and Law Involvement
Laws and Regulations
Cyberattacks and identity theft are common problems in today’s society, pinpointing
humans being the weakest link in the security chain, determining the best outlet for security
methods and protection of their monetary and social statuses. Privacy Rights Clearinghouse’s
“Identity Theft Surveys and Studies: How Many Identity Theft Victims are there? What is the
impact on Victims?” states, “On average, 49% of victims did not know how their information
was obtained.” With the problem becoming more of a national threat, it is without a doubt that
legislative practices and regulations have been instituted, aiming to protect the nation from
technologically advanced criminals. With the attacks spanning over workplaces, homes, and
social media, companies alongside individuals do their best to diminish the issues as soon as
possible. According to Hannah Lutz, writer of “Trying to win ‘a game of cat and mouse’;
Lenders step up efforts to battle fraud, identity theft” (2017), “As fraud rises, lenders are
ramping up detection and prevention efforts”. With that being said, instituting mandates and
regulations via the law stipulate more protective efforts to eliminate identity theft exertions from
the source to dealing with those victimized. Conducting studies that could assist in government-
official work can allow more of an efficient system and lead to better combatants of identity
theft.
Without a doubt, identity theft is a devastation that plagues many individuals every year. As the
internet continues to flourish, making identity theft more complex, laws pertaining to this crime
have evolved. Ludek Seda, author of “Identity theft and university students: do they know, do
they care?”, adds, “The outcomes of the research findings may assist governments and other
stakeholders with vested interests in combating identity crime to educate individuals about the
circumstances where they are potentially vulnerable to identity theft” (p. 480). National Laws
and regulations instituted include the Identity Theft and Assumption Deterrence Act of 1998 and
the Theft Penalty Enhancement Act of 2004. Despite having minimal laws or regulations,
various agencies are involved in investigating and prosecuting identity theft crimes including the
Federal Bureau of Investigation, Federal Trade Commission, Secret Service, and the Postal
Inspection Service. While tackling identity theft does not end with reporting it to investigative
officials, being consistent and persistent on making a full recovery with mandates to guide in the
reformation process, identity theft can be eradicated in its numbers sufficiently.
Conclusion
Identity theft is a very large and substantial issue that will continue to escalate alongside
technology continuing to grow. The history of identity theft can be traced back to before the
internet became the main outlet of manipulation. In today’s budding society, personal
information tends to get thrown around through multiple openings, making it a criminal’s
playground, allowing them to obtain a wide variety of vital information and whittling it down
the core, potentially gaining monetary or social benefits. Combatting the problem head on with
distinct methods, efforts and mandates utilized, identity theft can be overcome or simply
weakened in its popularity.
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