In 2023, Google Voice made up 60 percent of the scam reports to
the ITRC and was carried out primarily through Facebook and other
social media platforms
SAN
DIEGO, June 26, 2024 /PRNewswire-PRWeb/ --
The Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC), a nationally
recognized nonprofit organization established to support victims of
identity crime, has published its third-annual report that looks at
the identity crimes committed against individuals as reported by
the victims of those crimes – the ITRC's 2023 Trends in Identity
Report. This year's report is supported by the ITRC's Alliance for
Identity Resilience.
"The latest information gleaned from
speaking with victims, as well as data from our other reports,
shows an environment where identity criminals are more effective,
efficient and successful in launching attacks," said Eva Velasquez, President and CEO of the Identity
Theft Resource Center.
In the report, the ITRC outlines the identity crimes reported in
2023 and how criminals convinced people to willingly share
information. The report also outlines how stolen information was
used to open new accounts and evade law enforcement.
In 2023, the ITRC saw a 16-percentage-point decrease in the
number of reported identity crimes (compromise, theft and misuse)
compared to 2022. Of those crimes, 53 percent were related to
compromised credentials, 38 percent to actual misuse and two (2)
percent to attempted misuse. Reports of attempted identity misuse
increased by 11 percentage points, most often related to a
financial account.
DOWNLOAD THE ITRC's 2023 TRENDS IN IDENTITY REPORT
The ITRC also reported the following in 2023:
- Overall reports of scams to the ITRC decreased by 18 percentage
points in 2023 from the prior year. However, job scams increased by
118 percentage points. Job scams were primarily carried out through
websites, typically LinkedIn or job search platforms.
- While down by 16 percentage points compared to 2022, Google
Voice scams remained the top scam reported to the ITRC. Google
Voice scams were mostly carried out through Facebook and other
social media platforms.
- Scams (78 percent), Lost or Stolen Items (eight (8) percent)
and Unauthorized Access to a computer or mobile device (six (6)
percent) were the most reported forms of identity compromise.
- Existing Account Takeover (52 percent) and New Account Creation
(36 percent) were the most reported forms of identity misuse,
followed by crimes committed using compromised personal information
(five (5) percent) and employment-related identity
fraud (five (5) percent).
"Our 2023 Trends in Identity Report highlights many changes in
the identity crime landscape, most notably a sharp rise in job
scams," said Eva Velasquez,
President and CEO of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "The
latest information gleaned from speaking with victims, as well as
data from our other reports, shows an environment where identity
criminals are more effective, efficient and successful in launching
attacks. The result is fewer victims reporting these crimes.
However, the impact on people and businesses is arguably more
damaging at a time when there are too many identity crime victims
and too few resources to help them."
The ITRC identified the following trends in 2023:
- Identity thieves are improving at looking and sounding
"legitimate," thanks in part to generative artificial intelligence,
especially when it comes to job postings. Victims are facing more
complex types of identity misuse with more severe impacts.
- Identity thieves already have enough information to open new
lines of credit and other accounts in the names of unsuspecting
individuals.
Consumers and victims can receive free support and guidance from
a knowledgeable live advisor by texting or calling 888.400.5530 or
visiting idtheftcenter.org to live chat.
About the Identity Theft Resource Center
Founded in 1999, the Identity Theft Resource Center® (ITRC) is
a national nonprofit organization established to empower and guide
consumers, victims, business and government to minimize risk and
mitigate the impact of identity compromise and crime. Through
public and private support, the ITRC provides no-cost victim
assistance and consumer education through its website live chat,
idtheftcenter.org, and toll-free phone number 888.400.5530. The
ITRC also equips consumers and businesses with information about
recent data breaches through its data breach tracking tool,
notified. The ITRC offers help to specific populations,
including the deaf/hard of hearing
and blind/low vision communities.
About the Alliance for Identity Resilience
The Alliance for Identity Resilience (AIR) was established as an
advisory board by the Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC). The
advisory board operates within the framework of the ITRC's mission
to empower individuals and businesses through education, support
and innovative strategies. The primary purpose of AIR is to advise
the ITRC on matters related to identity crime. The board serves as
a consultative body to foster collaborative discussions, advance
thought leadership and advocacy, identify emerging challenges,
offer guidance on projects and initiatives, facilitate industry
collaboration, and propose holistic solutions to enhance identity
protection and victim recovery services.
Media Contact
Identity Theft Resource Center
Alex Achten
Director of Communications & Media Relations
888.400.5530 Ext. 3611
media@idtheftcenter.org
Media Contact
Alex Achten, Identity Theft
Resource Center, 888-400-5530 x 3611,
media@idtheftcenter.org, www.idtheftcenter.org
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SOURCE Identity Theft Resource Center