All you ever wanted to know about paper shredders, and then some. Avoid Identity Theft start shredding everything today!Wednesday, April 25, 2007
ID Theft Survey Results
The hard statistics on identity theft are well-known, but how do Americans perceive the crime, and how knowledgeable are we on ways to safeguard ourselves from identity thieves?
According to a national survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center and Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer, 81 percent of Americans are aware that identity theft can happen at any time and 65 percent are using tools to protect themselves. Despite this awareness, Americans do not feel secure. Consistent misperceptions about identity theft crimes and victims cause 50 percent of Americans to feel vulnerable.
The biggest misperception is that Americans believe technology makes them more vulnerable to identity fraud, as nearly 40 percent of respondents said identity theft is most likely to occur through online exchanges. In reality, online exchanges only represent 9 percent of the crime, whereas the majority of identity fraud occurs through paper documents and stolen information 1. Experts are concerned about the ongoing confusion.
"The fact that consumers are taking precautions is a good sign, but awareness does not mean much if consumers are confused about how to protect themselves," said Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "It's alarming to see so much confusion surrounding the crime, especially disposal of personal information. The first thing I always say is that the easiest way to protect yourself is to shred all personal documents with a confetti-cut shredder, including information you don't believe can be used to steal your identity."
The Myths and Facts:
In addition to the misperception of technology's role in identity theft crimes, respondents also are confused about protection from the crime, those at risk, and how often the crime occurs:
- Americans vastly overestimate the risk to the elderly and vastly underestimate the risk to the young, as respondents believe that those 60 years and older are most vulnerable to the crime. In reality, 8 percent of the crime involves senior citizens, and the most vulnerable group is actually 18-29 year olds 2.
- Less than one-fifth of Americans believe identity theft is most likely to occur through stolen personal items such as credit cards or wallets that contain personal financial information, when it is actually the most common form of identity fraud nationwide 1.
- Less than half of Americans order a current credit report at least once every two years, despite the fact that this is one of the most effective ways to ensure that no one is misusing your credit .
- Nearly half of respondents believe there are fewer than 10,000 cases of identity theft reported each day in the U.S. The fact: there are more than 24,000 reports of identity fraud every day 1 .
www.IDconfidence.org Provides Personalized Tips
Everyday, simple actions from throwing away "garbage" to carrying personal information in a wallet can have a profound impact on how vulnerable you may be making yourself to identity theft. Similarly, misperceptions of the crime or one's level of vulnerability only add to the threat, making self-education an important crime fighting component.
A new Web site, www.IDconfidence.org, offers a unique quiz that tallies a vulnerability score and personalizes protection tips based on the user's responses. For each answer, a tip will be provided on why respondents are vulnerable and tailored suggestions on how to change their habits. Additionally, users will see how they match up against the national average of vulnerability scores, and find information on the myths and realities of identity theft, what to shred or keep, and links to key identity theft organizations. There are also opportunities to win personal shredders from Fellowes, Inc.
Identity Confidence Index: A Barometer on Americans' Identity Theft Concerns
The new identity theft research and survey begin a long-term awareness initiative called Americans' Identity Confidence Index. The index is developed to regularly gauge Americans' perceptions of identity theft and determine if collective opinions of the crime change over time. Fellowes and the ITRC will regularly survey respondents on five questions pertaining to vulnerability, and report on changes to the scale.
Based on the inaugural data, future research surveys will determine if the public's general awareness of the crime and specific preemptive behaviors change over time.
"Currently, information doesn't exist to regularly monitor Americans' perception of identity theft compared to the rise or decline of the crime,"; said Jude Rake, president of Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer. "Identity theft is not going away, so it will be important to continue to educate consumers on how to protect themselves in the years to come."
About Identity Theft Resource Center
The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization that focuses exclusively on identity theft. ITRC was founded in December 1999 by Linda and Jay Foley. The seed of ITRC was planted in 1997 when Linda's then employer used the information on her tax forms to get credit cards and a cell phone. At that time, there was little information for victims to use and no network of people with whom to talk. At first, Linda volunteered with another program that had done some work in victim assistance for this crime. Very quickly, however, it became apparent that a specialized program was needed, focusing on victim assistance and serving as a clearinghouse of information.
The ITRC has received numerous accolades for its work by victims, law enforcement, businesses, legislators and governmental officials, and is a major player in the war against this crime. The national office is based in San Diego, Calif., with ITRC representatives working throughout the United States.
About Fellowes
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., Fellowes, Inc. offers an impressive range of products to equip the workspace, including paper shredders, binders and laminators, desktop accessories and record storage solutions. Fellowes, Inc. owns and operates subsidiaries in Canada, United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Singapore, Japan, Korea, China and Australia. The company employs more than 1,200 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $700 million this year. For more information, visit www.fellowes.com.
Paper Shredder
According to a national survey of 1,000 Americans conducted by the nonprofit Identity Theft Resource Center and Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer, 81 percent of Americans are aware that identity theft can happen at any time and 65 percent are using tools to protect themselves. Despite this awareness, Americans do not feel secure. Consistent misperceptions about identity theft crimes and victims cause 50 percent of Americans to feel vulnerable.
The biggest misperception is that Americans believe technology makes them more vulnerable to identity fraud, as nearly 40 percent of respondents said identity theft is most likely to occur through online exchanges. In reality, online exchanges only represent 9 percent of the crime, whereas the majority of identity fraud occurs through paper documents and stolen information 1. Experts are concerned about the ongoing confusion.
"The fact that consumers are taking precautions is a good sign, but awareness does not mean much if consumers are confused about how to protect themselves," said Jay Foley, executive director of the Identity Theft Resource Center. "It's alarming to see so much confusion surrounding the crime, especially disposal of personal information. The first thing I always say is that the easiest way to protect yourself is to shred all personal documents with a confetti-cut shredder, including information you don't believe can be used to steal your identity."
The Myths and Facts:
In addition to the misperception of technology's role in identity theft crimes, respondents also are confused about protection from the crime, those at risk, and how often the crime occurs:
- Americans vastly overestimate the risk to the elderly and vastly underestimate the risk to the young, as respondents believe that those 60 years and older are most vulnerable to the crime. In reality, 8 percent of the crime involves senior citizens, and the most vulnerable group is actually 18-29 year olds 2.
- Less than one-fifth of Americans believe identity theft is most likely to occur through stolen personal items such as credit cards or wallets that contain personal financial information, when it is actually the most common form of identity fraud nationwide 1.
- Less than half of Americans order a current credit report at least once every two years, despite the fact that this is one of the most effective ways to ensure that no one is misusing your credit .
- Nearly half of respondents believe there are fewer than 10,000 cases of identity theft reported each day in the U.S. The fact: there are more than 24,000 reports of identity fraud every day 1 .
www.IDconfidence.org Provides Personalized Tips
Everyday, simple actions from throwing away "garbage" to carrying personal information in a wallet can have a profound impact on how vulnerable you may be making yourself to identity theft. Similarly, misperceptions of the crime or one's level of vulnerability only add to the threat, making self-education an important crime fighting component.
A new Web site, www.IDconfidence.org, offers a unique quiz that tallies a vulnerability score and personalizes protection tips based on the user's responses. For each answer, a tip will be provided on why respondents are vulnerable and tailored suggestions on how to change their habits. Additionally, users will see how they match up against the national average of vulnerability scores, and find information on the myths and realities of identity theft, what to shred or keep, and links to key identity theft organizations. There are also opportunities to win personal shredders from Fellowes, Inc.
Identity Confidence Index: A Barometer on Americans' Identity Theft Concerns
The new identity theft research and survey begin a long-term awareness initiative called Americans' Identity Confidence Index. The index is developed to regularly gauge Americans' perceptions of identity theft and determine if collective opinions of the crime change over time. Fellowes and the ITRC will regularly survey respondents on five questions pertaining to vulnerability, and report on changes to the scale.
Based on the inaugural data, future research surveys will determine if the public's general awareness of the crime and specific preemptive behaviors change over time.
"Currently, information doesn't exist to regularly monitor Americans' perception of identity theft compared to the rise or decline of the crime,"; said Jude Rake, president of Fellowes, Inc., the leading shredder manufacturer. "Identity theft is not going away, so it will be important to continue to educate consumers on how to protect themselves in the years to come."
About Identity Theft Resource Center
The Identity Theft Resource Center (ITRC) is a national nonprofit organization that focuses exclusively on identity theft. ITRC was founded in December 1999 by Linda and Jay Foley. The seed of ITRC was planted in 1997 when Linda's then employer used the information on her tax forms to get credit cards and a cell phone. At that time, there was little information for victims to use and no network of people with whom to talk. At first, Linda volunteered with another program that had done some work in victim assistance for this crime. Very quickly, however, it became apparent that a specialized program was needed, focusing on victim assistance and serving as a clearinghouse of information.
The ITRC has received numerous accolades for its work by victims, law enforcement, businesses, legislators and governmental officials, and is a major player in the war against this crime. The national office is based in San Diego, Calif., with ITRC representatives working throughout the United States.
About Fellowes
Headquartered in Itasca, Ill., Fellowes, Inc. offers an impressive range of products to equip the workspace, including paper shredders, binders and laminators, desktop accessories and record storage solutions. Fellowes, Inc. owns and operates subsidiaries in Canada, United Kingdom, Benelux, France, Germany, Italy, Poland, Spain, Singapore, Japan, Korea, China and Australia. The company employs more than 1,200 people throughout the world and expects global sales in excess of $700 million this year. For more information, visit www.fellowes.com.
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