The Issue of Identity Theft on the Internet

Identity theft has been an issue of this generation for many years. As most of identity recognition relies on a pin code or password system, it is much simpler to disguise one as another person for ill intent. Many consumers think that a personal password is enough to keep them safe from any threats; however, a single sequence of letters is much easier to replicate than the actual person.

According to Identity Force, over 1 million children in the U.S. were victims of identity theft in the year of 2017. This cost families $540 million out-of-pocket expenses. Even more threatening is that victims often take over 3 months to recognize their identity is being compromised. 16 percent of users reported they didn't find out until 3 years.

www.iii.org: "Identity Theft and Fraud Reports, 2014-2017"

This graphic shows that nearly 3 million reports of identity fraud were reported every year in the U.S. since 2014. There is no question that identity theft is a severe issue. It remains an issue not because of the number of reports regarding it, but also because of the level of impact that it can cause. 

For users of the internet, a few basic techniques can prevent identity theft. Identity Force recommends changing passwords for important accounts regularly. Be cautious when putting personal information on social media. Lastly, check banking and credit accounts regularly to spot fraudulent activity.

REFERENCES

https://www.iii.org/fact-statistic/facts-statistics-identity-theft-and-cybercrime

https://www.identityforce.com/blog/identity-theft-odds-identity-theft-statistics