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.

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