There are many identity theft statistics available online that show every aspect of this crime. Stats show which states have the highest rates of identity theft per capita. Also, through statistics, we can find out which types of identity theft are the most common and how much time and money the average victim loses. All of these different statistics can help the average person get a better feel for this crime and allow them to really concentrate on different aspects of prevention. The more you know about all of the statistics on identity theft that are available, the better protected you will be when you put your knowledge to work.
The Internet fraud statistics page shows that identity theft statistics online are increasing. The statistics show that over 90% of victims reside in the United States. The thieves are from all over the world, including the US, but it seems they go after the crime of identity theft in America most often. The biggest online scam is email phishing. Many of the messages that fill up your junk email folder are examples of phishing. Phishing emails are messages that attempt to get any personal information from you in a number of different ways. Some common phishing emails include fake emails from the FBI asking for your help, lottery winning notifications, and inheritance messages.
Unfortunately, phishing is not the only way that thieves commit online identity theft. The thieves have been known to troll the chat rooms and infect people with Trojan viruses that will read the keystrokes of the infected. Eventually, this may give the thief a password to an online banking site or the vital personal information needed to open a new credit account under the name of the victim.
There are many different types of fraud scams on the Internet that you should be aware of. This list will continually grow. Thieves will never stop creating new scams to victimize people with. By staying on top of the newest scams and having a good knowledge base of how identity theft is committed, you can prevent them from hurting you. Remember; always think about the consequences before you click!