Summary of the Article: Biggest Targets for Identity Theft
1. Senior citizens are vulnerable, but youth offers no protection against identity theft.
It is commonly believed that senior citizens lacking technological sophistication are the primary targets of identity theft. However, identity theft is opportunistic, and young people are also at risk.
2. Most common type of identity theft for those aged 20-39: Credit card fraud.
According to identity theft reports by age, credit card fraud is most prevalent among individuals aged 20-39, making up 28% of total identity theft reports for this age group.
3. Most common type of identity theft for those aged 30-39: Credit card fraud.
For individuals aged 30-39, credit card fraud remains the most prevalent type of identity theft, accounting for 28% of their total identity theft reports.
4. Most common type of identity theft for people aged 19 and under: Employment or tax identity theft.
Among Americans between the ages of 50 and 59, as well as individuals aged 19 and under, employment or tax identity theft is the top category. Other types of identity theft include insurance, online shopping, email and social media, securities accounts, evading the law, and medical identity theft.
5. Children are targeted for identity theft due to unused Social Security numbers.
Children are often victims of identity theft due to their unused Social Security numbers, which are rarely monitored. In fact, children are 51% more likely than adults to have their identity stolen.
6. Social media users are high-risk victims of identity theft.
Individuals who actively use social media are more likely to experience identity theft. Those with an active social media presence have a 30% higher risk of being a fraud victim compared to those who are not active on social media.
7. Whites and persons aged 35-49 are more susceptible to identity theft.
Whites have a higher prevalence of identity theft victimization compared to blacks, Hispanics, and Asians. Additionally, individuals aged 35-49 account for 29% of all victims of identity theft, despite representing only 24% of the total population.
8. Top three victim age ranges for identity theft:
The average age of an identity fraud victim is 30-39 years old, followed by individuals aged 40-49 and 50-59. These three age groups account for a significant number of identity theft complaints.
Questions and Detailed Answers:
1. Who are the biggest targets for identity theft?
The biggest targets for identity theft are not limited to senior citizens or individuals lacking technological sophistication. Identity theft is opportunistic and affects people of all ages. Youth does not offer protection against identity theft.
2. What is the most prevalent type of identity theft for those aged 20-39?
The most common type of identity theft for individuals aged 20-39 is credit card fraud, which accounts for 27% of identity theft reports for this age group.
3. What is the most prevalent type of identity theft for those aged 30-39?
Similar to individuals aged 20-29, credit card fraud remains the most prevalent type of identity theft for individuals aged 30-39, accounting for 28% of identity theft reports for this age group.
4. What is the most common type of identity theft for individuals aged 19 and under?
Employment or tax identity theft is the top category for identity theft among individuals aged 19 and under, as well as Americans between the ages of 50 and 59. Other types of identity theft include insurance, online shopping, email and social media, securities accounts, evading the law, and medical identity theft.
5. Why are children often victims of identity theft?
Children are often victims of identity theft due to their unused Social Security numbers, which are rarely monitored by anyone. In fact, children are 51% more likely than adults to have their identity stolen.
6. Who are high-risk victims of identity theft?
Social media users are among the high-risk groups for identity theft. Individuals with an active presence on social media have a 30% higher risk of being a fraud victim compared to those who are not active on social media.
7. Which racial/ethnic groups are more susceptible to identity theft?
Whites have a higher prevalence of identity theft victimization compared to blacks, Hispanics, and Asians.
8. Which age groups are most targeted for identity theft?
The top three victim age ranges for identity theft are 30-39, 40-49, and 50-59. These age groups account for a significant number of identity theft complaints.
Who are the biggest targets for identity theft
It's commonly believed that credulous senior citizens who lack technological sophistication are the primary targets of identity theft. Although it's undoubtedly true that seniors are vulnerable, identity theft is purely opportunistic, and youth offers no protection.
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Which type of identity theft is most prevalent for those ages 20 39
Identity theft reports by age
| Age | Most common type of identity theft | Percentage of age's total identity theft reports 2021 |
|---|---|---|
| 20 to 29 | Credit card fraud | 27% |
| 30 to 39 | Credit card fraud | 28% |
| 40 to 49 | Government documents or benefits fraud | 24% |
| 50 to 59 | Government documents or benefits fraud | 33% |
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Which type of identity theft is most prevalent for people age 19 and under
Employment or tax identity theft
Employment or tax identity theft is the top category among Americans between 50 and 59—and for people 19 and under. The FTC classifies the following as Other identity theft: insurance, online shopping, email and social media, securities accounts, evading the law, and medical identity theft.
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What is one specific group of people targeted for identity theft
But the reason children are so often victims of identity theft is shockingly simple. It's an unused Social Security number — and no one is monitoring it. In fact, children are 51% more likely than adults to have their identity stolen.
Who are typical victims of identity theft
Social media users are a high-risk group for identity theft. Those who use social media are among the most likely to experience fraud. Javelin Strategy found that individuals who have an active social media presence had a 30 percent higher risk of being a fraud victim than those who weren't active.
Who are the victims of identity theft
Whites (10%) had a higher prevalence of identity-theft victimization than blacks (7%), Hispanics (6%), and Asians (8%). Persons age 35 to 49 accounted for 24% of all U.S. residents age 16 or older, but they accounted for 29% of all victims of identity theft.
What are the top three victim age ranges for identity theft
The average age of an identity fraud victim is 30-39 years old (FTC)
| Rank* | Age Group | Complaints |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | 30-39 years | 306,090 |
| 2 | 40-49 years | 302,678 |
| 3 | 50-59 years | 244,183 |
| 4 | 20-29 years | 190,916 |
What age group is affected by identity theft
30-39 years old
The average age of an identity fraud victim is 30-39 years old (FTC) In the US, the most common victims of identity theft are aged 30-39 years old. This is closely followed by those aged 40-49 years old. The least likely age group to fall victim to identity theft by raw numbers are 80+.
Who catches identity theft
Step 2: File an ID Theft Complaint with the FTC
This government agency doesn't bring criminal cases against identity thieves. But they do enter your complaint into the FTC's Identity Theft Data Clearinghouse, which law enforcement officers can search as part of their criminal investigations.
Who is the main character identity theft
Sandy Patterson
Identity Thief is a 2013 American road comedy film directed by Seth Gordon, written by Craig Mazin from a story by Mazin and Jerry Eeten, and starring Jason Bateman and Melissa McCarthy. The film tells the fictional story of Sandy Patterson, a man whose identity is stolen by a female con artist.
How do most known cases of identity theft occur
This can happen through a variety of means, including hacking, fraud and trickery, phishing scams, mail theft, and data breaches. Data breaches are among the most common ways identity thieves collect personal data.
How do people fall victim to identity theft
steal your mail or garbage to get your account numbers or your Social Security number. trick you into sending personal information in an email. steal your account numbers from a business or medical office. steal your wallet or purse to get your personal information.
Which age group has the highest number of crime victims
Persons age 18 to 21 were the most likely to experience a serious violent crime, and blacks in that age group were the most vulnerable: 72 victimizations per 1,000 blacks, 50 victimizations per 1,000 Hispanics, and 46 victimizations per 1,000 whites.
What age rating is identity theft
Identity Thief is rated R by the MPAA for sexual content and language.
What age group is most likely to steal
A total of 66.6 percent of all shoplifters reported were under 30 years of age; 6.2 percent were under 12 years of age; 26.7 percent were between 12 and 17 years of age; and 33.7 percent were between 18 and 29 years.
What are the statistics for identity theft
5.7 Million Cases of Fraud and Identity Theft Were Reported to the FTC. The FTC received 5.7 million reports of identity theft and fraud, up from 4.7 million the previous year.
What is the most common method used to steal your identity
Physical Theft: examples of this would be dumpster diving, mail theft, skimming, change of address, reshipping, government records, identity consolidation. Technology-Based: examples of this are phishing, pharming, DNS Cache Poisoning, wardriving, spyware, malware and viruses.
How many people face identity theft
Combined, over 100,000 identity theft and personal data breaches occur every year (FBI) More than 50,000 cases of identity theft are reported each year in the US. And over 50,000 personal data breaches occur per year. Despite these high numbers, many similar crimes are thought to go unreported.
What are the 3 most common causes of identity theft
Motivations for Identity TheftFinancial Gain. The most common reason why people commit identity theft and other white-collar crimes is for financial benefit.Revenge. Another goal someone might have when committing identity theft is revenge.To Hide Another Crime.
Who is prone to identity theft
The answer may surprise you – while everyone should be aware of identity theft, children and the elderly are at an especially high risk of becoming victims.
Who are the most vulnerable victims of crime
those with a mental disorder or learning difficulties. those under 18 years of age. victims in cases of domestic abuse, sexual crime, stalking & human trafficking. those who could suffer harm because of giving evidence.
What ages are the age crime curve
The age crime curve refers to the assumption that crimes are most prevalent during mid to late adolescence. That is, the incidence of crime increases with age until individuals reach about 16 to 20. The incidence of crime then decreases with age in adulthood.
Are children targets for ID theft
Almost one million, or 1 in 80, children were the targets of identity theft in 2021 according to an AARP-sponsored report by Javelin Strategy & Research, many as the result of a data breach. Javelin estimates losses tied to child identity theft were $680 million, which was actually less than the year before.
How old was the youngest identity theft victim
Key findings from this study include: 10.2 percent of the children in this study had someone else using their Social Security number; stolen child identities were used to purchase homes and cars, open credit card accounts, secure employment, and obtain driver's licenses; the youngest victim was 5-months old, and 303 of …
Which demographic steals the most
Approximately 1 out of 11 people in the US are shoplifters. ¼ of shoplifters are children. 55% of shoplifters began shoplifting when they were teenagers. Nearly ¾ of shoplifters have said they don't plan to steal ahead of time.
