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Survey Indicates ID Theft May Be Diminishing

Posted by Zonk on from the we-can-only-hope dept.

netbuzz passed us a link discussing a survey conducted by major credit firms. Keeping in mind the source (CheckFree, Visa, and WellsFargo), the results indicate identity theft may be on the downswing as consumers wise up to scammers. The number of respondents that reported a fraudulent account created with a stolen identity dropped by a full half percentage point between 2005 and 2006. Overall fraud apparently dropped by some 12% over last year, representing $6.4 billion in fraud reduction. Again, consider the source: identity fraud is still apparently costing some $49.3 billion annually.

5 of 61 comments (clear)

  1. OB.. by StikyPad · · Score: 3, Funny

    A talking moose wants my credit card number? Wait a minute.. I'm not falling for that again!

    --
    https://www.eff.org/https-everywhere
    1. Re:OB.. by Dr+Caleb · · Score: 2, Funny

      Vee only accept call from Moose AND Squirrel, Comrade.

      --
      "History doesn't repeat itself, but it does rhyme." Mark Twain
  2. Maybe the Black Market is just saturated... by Radon360 · · Score: 2, Funny

    Perhaps the people phishing for card numbers, SSN#'s have amassed so many at this point that they can still sell large blocks of them to unwitting thieves, even though a small number of them have already been flagged as potentially stolen by the financial institutions.

    Then again, maybe the theives can purchase these blocks of numbers from the phishers using their credit card number to try and purchase them...

  3. Identify! by AndroidCat · · Score: 3, Funny

    Was the survey really sure that they were talking to CheckFree, Visa, and WellsFargo?

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    One line blog. I hear that they're called Twitters now.
  4. 1/2 percent???? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 2, Funny

    Thats funny because in the 2006 identity theft rose 100% percent for me.