IDENTITY THEFT

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IDENTITY THEFT

• Jason Davey
• CSC 385
• Computer Ethics

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Identity Theft Definition

• Identity theft (or identity fraud) is the
  deliberate assumption of another person's
  identity, usually to gain access to their
  finances or frame them for a crime. Less
  commonly, it is to enable illegal immigration,
  terrorism, espionage, or changing identity
  permanently.

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How big of problem is it?

• 635,000 complaints received during calendar year
  2004
• 39 were identity theft complaints
• Almost 250,000 complaints

• "The percentage of complaints about Electronic
  Fund Transfer related identity theft more than
  doubled between 2002 and 2004."

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ID theft hits home

• A typical victim spends on average 800 and 175
  hours over 23 months to clean up his or her
  credit and erase 18,000 in fraudulent charges.
• Of North Carolina victims rank in identity theft,
  number one for victims was credit card fraud
  -1,689.

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How are identities being stolen?

• Criminals may engage in "shoulder surfing"
  watching you from a nearby location as you punch
  in your telephone calling card number or credit
  card number.
• Some criminals engage in "dumpster diving"
  going through your garbage cans or a communal
  dumpster or trash bin to obtain copies of your
  checks, credit card or bank statements .

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ID Theft Ways Cont.

• The Internet has become an appealing place for
  criminals to obtain identifying data, such as
  passwords or even banking information.
• People respond to "spam" unsolicited E-mail
  that promises them some benefit but requests
  identifying data.
• Hacking Online databases.

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Talking Points

• How can you avoid having your identity stolen?
• Are there any software solutions to ID theft?
• New technologies for reducing ID theft.
• Is it a serious problem?
• Are programmers responsible for security?

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ID Theft Sources
http//www.consumer.gov/idtheft/ http//en.wikiped
ia.org/wiki/Identity_theft http//www.ncjrs.gov/sp
otlight/identity_theft/summary.html http//www.ncd
oj.com/consumerprotection/cp_idtheft.jsp http//ww
w.usdoj.gov/criminal/fraud/idtheft.htmlWhat20Are
20The20Most20Common20Ways20To20Commit20Iden
tity