[Dataloss] Identity Thieves, Methods More Diverse Than Believed, Study Finds (fwd)

[security curmudgeon]

---------- Forwarded message ----------
From: dan at geer.org

<http://online.wsj.com/article_print/SB119284593359965817.html>

Identity Thieves, Methods More Diverse Than Believed, Study Finds
By CHRISTOPHER CONKEY

The Wall Street Journal
October 20, 2007; Page A5

WASHINGTON -- As government agencies, schools and many businesses ponder 
how to combat identity theft, a new research project is challenging some 
popular assumptions about such crimes and the people who commit them.

Results of the study by researchers at the Center for Identity Management 
and Information Protection at Utica College, New York, found that contrary 
to the stereotype of a typical offender as a well-educated white male 
exploiting his computer savvy, the identity thieves and the methods they 
use are surprisingly diverse.

The study, which looked at more than 500 Secret Service cases that closed 
between January 2000 and March 2007, found that 54% of the offenders were 
black, 38% were white. Nearly one-third were female. About 71% had no 
previous criminal record, and many cases involved sloppy data-security 
practices by businesses like retail stores.

The results of the study are slated to be presented at an economic-crime 
conference Monday in Virginia.

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