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Identity theft involves obtaining somebody else's identifying information and using it for a criminal purpose. Most often that purpose is to commit financial fraud, such as by obtaining loans or credits in the name of the person whose identity has been stolen.[1] Stolen identifying information might also be used for other reasons, such as to obtain identification cards or for purposes of employment by somebody not legally authorized to work in the United States.[2]
According to a United States Department of Justice study, in 2012 the direct and indirect cost of identity theft was estimated to be responsible for financial losses of $24.7 billion, approximately twice the $14 billion total cost of other property crimes.[3] By 2014, losses to identity theft decreased to $15.4 billion, mostly due to a reduction in the number of high-value losses (the top 10% of cases).[4] By 2016, the estimated cost of identity theft increased to $16 billion.[5]
In 2012, identity theft affected approximately 16.6 million people, approximately 7% of the U.S. population aged 16 or older.[3] In 2014, identity theft affected approximately 17.6 million people, again approximately 7% of the U.S. adult population.[4] It was estimated that approximately one third of Americans affected by a data breach ended up becoming a victim of financial fraud in 2013, an increase from one ninth in 2010.[6] When an existing credit card is exposed and then used for fraud, the average estimated loss is $1,251. When a Social Security number is exposed and then used to open new accounts, the average estimated loss increases to $2,330.[6] In 2015, a private study performed by Javelin suggested that incidents of identity theft remained steady from 2014, and that the losses associated with each instance of identity theft had decreased slightly.[7]