Identity theft is a matter of growing concern to individuals and to our overall economy. Millions of consumers are victimized by this crime every year. Most cases of identity theft fall into one of two broad categories: “Existing Account Fraud” which is the takeover or misuse of existing credit card, debit card, or other accounts; or “New Account Fraud” which is the use of stolen personal information to open new accounts in the consumer’s name.

· Only 15% of victims find out about the theft through proactive action taken by a business;

· The average time spent by victims resolving the problem is about 40 hours;

· 73% of respondents indicated the crime involved the thief acquiring a credit card.

Click here to learn more about identity theft and here to find ways to deter, detect and defend yourself against identity theft.